Kalyteros Parigoria
by Soukouno Kimmonkyou
Summary: Caerula Adamas will do anything to fill the world with hate, even if it means launching an all-out offensive at Binan High. Having a deep hatred for En, the one who stole Atsushi from him, Kinshiro is determined to make those who are happy and in love miserable. Little does he know that Atsushi won't let misery befall anyone, especially the man he loves. Reviews may contain spoiler
1. Freakin' Gossip!

Chapter 1- Freakin' Gossip!  


Atsushi, Binan High School salutatorian and teen heartthrob, furrowed his eyebrows as usual whenever he heard gossip. Valentine's Day was a mere week away, spurring bets on who would get the most chocolates from the all-girls school down the street. Atsushi, deciding his love of academia was far more important than some all-girls school, felt his anger about to reach a tipping point.

"Hey, that cute blonde from the senior class at Efyu High is super rich!" one boy exclaimed. "I heard she's going to buy a bunch of chocolates, then give them all to a lucky guy at Binan High!"

"You're a poet and didn't even know it." The boy's friend snickered. "I'm sure you can woo her with that kind of poetry."

"But I've got a friend in the poetry club who's a total playboy," remarked another friend. "He's an expert in the female mind. You don't stand a chance."

"Well, screw you all!" interjected a fourth friend. "Because I'm going to get chocolates from every girl at Efyu."

"Braggart!" The friends laughed and began their horseplay. Paper airplanes made from club fliers flew across the halls, pencils were thrown at the ceiling, and spitballs affixed to any surface they touched. As a particularly large spitball struck the bridge of Atsushi's glasses, the Battle Lover decided that he'd finally had enough of the childish gamboling about.

"What's the matter, Kinugawa?" one of the students teased. "Think you're too nerdy to be popular with women?"

"I _did_ hear that a lot of Efyu girls love smarts…"

"But Kinugawa over there just loves his books. He's going to remain a virgin his whole life, you'll see."

"Will you shut the hell up already? Good God!" Atsushi thundered before loudly stomping his way to Chikyuubouei-bu. As he headed there, his nervousness began to build. For all that Valentine's Day talk, all Atsushi could think about was the laziest and most handsome student on campus: his best friend, En.

Despite his seeming lack of any gentlemanly qualities, En nonetheless exuded a charm that Atsushi couldn't ignore if he tried. En's thick head and Atsushi's difficulty in expressing his emotions properly were of no help, despite his undeniable desire to confess to the man he loved.

And now, in the midst of his fellow Chikyuubouei-bu members, in a chair next to the windowsill, lay that embodiment of exquisiteness. Yumoto repeatedly attempted to slap En awake as En countered with slaps of his own. _There's no way under the sun I'm sitting next to him_, Atsushi thought as he took the seat across the table. _I am in no mood to talk to him right now._

"I'm surprised that there haven't been any monsters lately," Io noted, checking the stocks on his laptop as usual.

"Well, Valentine's Day is coming up," Yumoto replied. "Everyone's probably busy being lovey-dovey and whatnot."

"Especially me. I've got a date a day from girls at Efyu." Ryuu bragged.

"I think it's a waste of time," Io responded. "Think of all the money spent on Valentine's Day presents that could be spent on stocks."

"Oh, shut your face! At least I have a social life."

"You little…" The two friends shot up, playfully glaring at each other.

"Stop it, both of you!" Wombat jumped on the table, giving the teens a slap on the cheek.

"Come on, we were just playing." Ryuu motioned for Wombat to shoo.

"Anyway, Valentine's Day should be a great day for the Battle Lovers." Wombat spoke in a more amiable tone. "The loveless are probably daunted by all the cards and chocolates and what have you."

"Which means that I can cuddle with you all day!" Yumoto squealed, giving Wombat an enormous hug.

"Ugh… Can't you at least wait until Valentine's Day?" Wombat grumbled.

"At least someone's excited." En let out a long yawn. "I'm probably going to spend the day at Kurotama or just sleeping. Or hoping that someone gives me a huge box of _manju._"

"Hey, hey…" Ryuu nudged En, giving him a mischievious look. "You got your eyes set on someone from Efyu High? I can hook you up, if you want."

"Oy, I really don't care…"

"That's right. You probably think that because of your good looks, you're probably going to get swarmed with presents."

"Like I said, I don't really care…" En sat upright, noting his best friend's complete silence. "What about you, Atsushi? Think you're getting a lot?"

"I… I'm just studying for the next test…" Atsushi answered sheepishly.

"Oh, you nerd…" Ryuu interrupted. "What a waste. There's probably a bunch of girls at Efyu who'd go for a nerdy type like you."

"…Right."

"Or probably the cool type, like your best friend."

"Please, stop, Ryuu," Atsushi pleaded. "Valentine's Day isn't really my cup of tea, you know that."

"Whatever," Ryuu snorted. The smile he wore was broken by a crash in the room and a cloud of dust in his face. "Ack… *cough* Yumoto! What the heck are you doing?!"

"Sorry. I was chasing Wombat, and I kind of knocked over a flower pot." Yumoto's attempt at innocence failed, as Ryuu's sneer did not fade from his face.

"Hey, you got some on me, too!" Io growled. "You're lucky my laptop was spared, or I would have your head."

"And just when I was about to fall asleep…" En muttered as he dusted soil off of himself. "Well, perfect. Someone owes us free Kurotama tickets."

"Okay, okay, fine…" Yumoto whined as he gave En what he demanded.

"For all the trouble you've caused, you get to clean all of this up," Wombat ordered. "By yourself."

"Waaaah…"

Yumoto's crying, for some strange reason, gave Atsushi an idea. With little thinking, he offered, "That's unfair. It was an accident."

"Good, you didn't get any dirt on you," Wombat remarked. "You can help him, then."

"Fine, fine. Get going, now." Atsushi shooed the others out of the room as he proceeded to help Yumoto.

"Thanks a bunch for helping, Kinugawa-sempai." Yumoto's voice sounded free of sadness. "Even though this really has nothing to do with you."

"Don't worry about it! Those guys can be mean sometimes, though. I don't think they deserve squat on Valentine's Day." Atsushi arose as soon as he and Yumoto had finished cleaning. "Phew! Finally done."

"All right, I'll meet you at Kurotama!" Yumoto waved on his way out. "Bye!"

"Wait, Yumoto… Can I have a word with you?"

"Yeah, what?"

Whatever ideas Atsushi might have had fled his mind in an instant. _Now I don't know what to ask him! Still, it's best that if I confer with anyone, it should be with the only openly gay student at Binan High._ "So… There's someone I really like. But I'm way too shy to tell this person about my feelings. You have any idea how, what with Valentine's Day coming up and all? Should I get this person chocolates?"

"Let me guess, a guy?"

"Y-You…!"

"We gays can identify each other easily." Yumoto winked. "Plus, you know that girls are supposed to give the guys chocolates on Valentine's Day. But tell me more about the guy. What kind of a person is he?"

"He's the laziest person I've ever met. All it seems he does is sleep and eat _manju_, his favourite food." Atsushi paused for a giggle. "He's a frequent customer at Kurotama Bath House, too."

"_Manju_, you said? Hang on, I've got just the thing for you." Yumoto dropped his handbag on the floor, fished around in it, and came out with a small piece of paper. "Here. You'll want this."

"What is this?" Atsushi eyed the paper curiously.

"There's this new confectionery downtown. It's called Kathenas Agapi Sweets, and it's owned by Greek people. I heard they're selling chocolate _manju_ especially for Valentine's Day, but they're super expensive. I happened to get a coupon during my last visit, though, and thought you could use it more than me."

"Yumoto, thank you." Atsushi grinned, giving his _kouhai_ a grateful hug. "But how should I give it to him? Put it on his desk or something?"

"Nah. You don't want to out yourself like that. Why not leave the box at the reception desk at Kurotama? I can give the guy the _manju_ after he gets out of the bath. But I need to know his name so I give the _manju_ to the right guy."

"Can I…" Atsushi averted Yumoto's innocent eyes, "…tell you after I bought the _manju?_ I don't think I'm ready to tell you yet."

"Sure, no problem. See you at Kurotama later tonight!" With that, Yumoto took off.

"See you…" Atsushi gestured a nervous wave, Yumoto's kindness offering him optimism. "See you later…"


	2. Kathenas Agapi

Chapter 2 - Kathenas Agapi  


"No, no, no!" Atsushi hurled a crumpled wad of paper at the back of his door. "How on Earth does the salutatorian of Binan High School not know how to write a love letter?"

"Hey, Sempai, where the heck did you go?" Yumoto whined over the phone on a Sunday morning. "The other guys are getting wrinkly waiting for you. They think I'm a weirdo, sitting in the locker room by myself while talking on the phone."

"Sorry, Yumoto…" Atsushi groaned as he sat in his bed, with various pieces of stationery strewn across it. "I've got… things to do, like work on my poetry and artistic skills. Valentine's Day is today, after all. I don't have much time left to finish this card, and get him the _manju._"

"Oh, you're making a card for that guy? How romantic!" Yumoto screamed. "I'm sure he'll love it."

"Who were you talking to that's 'making a card for some guy?'" Ryuu cut in.

"Zaou-sempai!" Yumoto, in an outburst of surprise, almost threw his phone across the room. "How much have you been eavesdropping?"

"I heard every word." Ryuu smirked. "That would be nice if the guy you're talking about is me."

"Hehehe…" Yumoto faked a giggle. _Doubtful. Kinugawa-sempai doesn't like the bad boy types. _

After Ryuu left the locker room snickering, Yumoto diverted his attention back to the phone. "Anyway, Kinugawa-sempai, don't worry too much about how you say it! As long as you pour your heart out, I'm sure your feelings will get through to him."

_As long as I pour my heart out…_ Atsushi thought dreamily as an epiphany came to him. "Yumoto! I know exactly what to say! Thanks for the help! Bye!"

After hanging up, Atsushi swiftly moved his pen across the paper, as if his previous giddiness had never existed. The results of his efforts included not only a heartfelt letter, but also a well-crafted card with obvious toil put into it. Atsushi sealed the card in an envelope, wrote "To En-chan," and stood, very proud of what he created. _Phew… Finally done! Now, one final thing to do._

~Later, at Kathenas Agapi Sweets…~

_So, this is that candy store that Yumoto was talking about…_ Atsushi thought as he perused the desserts from different cultures. _And there are so many customers! How interesting that foreigners could create such a successful business. It wouldn't surprise me if Io were to come here right now and ask-_

The sudden gaggle of voices pulled Atsushi out of his thoughts. "Wow, there are so many customers! How interesting that foreigners could create such a successful business. Maybe I should ask the owners how they made so much money."

_Oh, crud…_ Atsushi, angry for jinxing himself, turned his head. To his dismay, his four friends had just entered the store. It wouldn't have been so bad, except…

"Wonder if they got any _manju_?" En spoke half-heartedly. "If anyone gave me that, I'd be set."

"Well, maybe you'll get it from some cute Efyu girl, if you're lucky." Ryuu joked.

"Sure, sure…"

As his friends drew near, Atsushi didn't care if the other customers thought he was a creeper. He decided to hide behind a shelf of cakes. _They could have at least waited until I bought the _manju!

"Oh, here it is!" En, in an excited voice, located his favourite food. "There's so many kinds, too!"

"Look at that!" Yumoto pointed at the chocolate _manju_. "A special Valentine's Day edition!"

"I would pay a million yen for something like that…" En helplessly stared at the stack of boxes.

"If you want it so bad, then why not buy it?" Ryuu asked.

"Too expensive, for one thing. For another, that's not something to buy for one's self on Valentine's Day. No one's going to get it for me, though…" En hung his head with its sad expression. "…So that means I'll never get to have it."

"There, there…" Yumoto patted his _sempai_ on the back. "Why don't we go to Kurotama and cheer you up?"

"Whatever…" En sighed on his way out. "It won't be the same without Atsushi, though."

_Ah…_ Atsushi suddenly felt a light heart. _At least he cares about me… But who's to say that it's the same as how I feel? …Only one way to find out, and I don't have much time!_

With that, Atsushi grabbed the box of _manju_ and rushed for the wonderfully short line. _Lucky for me, these people are indecisive_.

"Yes? Can I help you?" The cashier summoned Atsushi to the line.

"Just this." Atsushi laid the box on the table and reached in his handbag. "And I have a coupon."

"Wait, wait, wait. You're a guy buying something on Valentine's Day? Isn't that something that girls do?"

"W-Well… Yeah, b-but… There's no other way for me to tell him, so…"

"I at least thought that it was going to be obligatory chocolates, but they're romantic ones?" The cashier eyed Atsushi warily. "How… interesting."

"S-So can I buy them or not?" Atsushi could barely conceal his impatience. On top of his nervousness, he knew he didn't have the time to reason with a heterosexist. En could leave Kurotama at any second.

"No way, dude," the cashier answered with no remorse. "I'm not allowed to serve your kind here."

"Oh, come off it, man!" the customer behind Atsushi cut in. He expressed deep annoyance in his voice. "Who cares about that? There's all kinds of people in the world."

"That's right! I thought that you of all people should know that. I thought you showed a lot of diversity in this store," the customer's wife added.

"He's nervous, that's all!" spoke the couple's young daughter. "He loves his boyfriend very much! You're just being a big meanie."

"You're right, Ayama Buhtmunch." The general manager of Kathenas Agapi came out of his office. "If he's a customer, then you should be obliged to serve him. Without people like him, you wouldn't have a job. Show behaviour like this again, and I will fire you."

"Grr…" Ayama grumbled, taking Atsushi's coupon. "With this coupon, the price of your item goes from ¥10000 to ¥5000."

"Thanks." Relieved, Atsushi presented his card. "Debit, please."

"Thanks very much." Ayama grinned, handing Atsushi the _manju_. "Hey, sorry about that. My family's very bigoted, so I don't get to meet too many kinds of people. I began working here to expose myself to different cultures. I'm glad you stopped by to help."

"Not a problem."

"Have a good day, sir!" Ayama bowed as Atsushi left the store.

_I got to sway a heterosexist today, haha._ Atsushi grinned as he hopped on a public bus. Upon taking his seat, he withdrew a small roll of tape and his card for En from his handbag. _Now, if I can get to Kurotama before En-chan leaves…_

~Meanwhile, at Kurotama Bath House…~

"He's very late…" Yumoto's face etched with worry as he stared at the clock. "It's already 19:35. Valentine's Day is going to be over before Kinugawa-sempai gets here."

"Atsushi?" En's head turned in Yumoto's direction. The mention of his best friend's name piqued his interest. "Atsushi's coming here after all?"

"O-Of course he's not!" Yumoto tried to lie. "You know that Kinugawa-sempai. Always lost in his books. I wonder how many times we've had to watch his back."

"Now you're not making any sense…" En looked as his _kouhai_, slightly irritated.

"Hey!" Atsushi swung the Kurotama doors open wildly. "Sorry for being late, Yumoto. I got caught in a bit of-"

"Atsushi!" En grinned. "Yumoto here was saying strange stuff about you being lost in your books and how we've always had to watch your back. But here you are. Great!"

"N-Nice of you to be here, En-chan…" Atsushi frantically hid the _manju_ box behind his back. "Aren't you forgetting something in the locker?"

"No, I remembered all my things."

"Don't you want to double check?" The tone in Atsushi's voice suggested great eagerness.

"But I'm already running a little la-"

"Come on, just go!" Atsushi shoved his friend back to the men's locker room. "Yikes. What a close call."

"Why were you so eager to get him out of here, Kinugawa-sempai?" Yumoto asked.

"It's because of this." Atsushi gave Yumoto the _manju_, not making eye contact as he did so. "At your suggestion, of course."

"Oh, the guy you're in love with is Yufuin-sempai?" Yumoto's voice sounded sly as he saw the card taped to the box. "That makes sense. You've been best friends with him forever, after all. I, for one, think you guys make the cutest couple ever."

"Thanks…? Well, here's the box. Good day."

"Aren't you going to stick around and see his reaction?"

"That's too embarrassing for me. I'm sure he'll text me about it later, anyway."

"You chicken." Yumoto playfully stuck his tongue out. Before he could give Atsushi a more proper greeting, En had already exited the locker rooms.

"En-chan!" Atsushi exclaimed. "That was fast!"

"It's like I told you, I didn't forget anything. Thanks for making me waste 10 minutes of my time."

"Aaaanyway…" Yumoto interrupted the somewhat tense mood forming. "Someone left a package for you here, Yufuin-sempai. Rest assured, it is not from me."

"A package?" En sounded interested as he received the box. "I never get packages. That's odd."

"Kinugawa-sempai and I were just about to… um…" Yumoto scrambled for an excuse to get Atsushi to stay. "…Go to the park! Yeah. So he's not going to leave without me… Right, Kinugawa-sempai?"

"Sure…" Atsushi hid his resentment at Yumoto's supposed prank.

"It says, 'To En-chan,'" En noted the card. "The box looks really pretty, too. A box of Valentine's Day chocolates, maybe?"

_Come on, open it already…_ Atsushi's pulse quickened with every passing second.

"If I open the card, I'll probably found out who gave it to me."

_Seriously, this is like watching the slowest yaoi anime ever._ Yumoto rolled his eyes.

To Atsushi's joy and anxiety, En opened the enveloped to reveal the beautiful card. Before he could remove the card from the envelope, however, the bracelet on his left wrist made a buzzing sound.


	3. Sacred Stars Above

Chapter 3 – Sacred Stars Above

_A Lovracelet alert _now?! Atsushi snarled.

"But Wombat said that there shouldn't be any monsters today!" Yumoto whined. "Dang it. I'll punish him later with extra hard cuddling."

"I was just about to relax at the park, too…" En complained. "I suppose we have no choice. Love Making!"

~At downtown Tokyo…~

"Kyaa!" a girl shrieked. "Leave us alone!"

"But I want to plaaaay…" The monster poked at the girl and her boyfriend with a baseball bat. "Come on, just a little bit of batting practice couldn't hurt…"

"Look here, asswipe," the boyfriend spoke defensively. "I love baseball. But if you're going to threaten my girl with a bat, you're dead."

"Ha!" The Baseball Monster scoffed. "You got nerve to be talking to me like that! I'll threaten you guys all I like!"

"Stop right there!" Scarlet ordered, right before the Baseball Monster could land a hit on the couple. "We are the heirs to the throne of love, the Battle Lovers!"

"Blah, blah, blah… Well, I suppose it would be more fun to actually play with people who will play back. Here, catch!" The Baseball Monster chucked a flurry of baseballs at the Battle Lovers. Most of the Battle Lovers could dodge the balls just fine, but in his clumsiness, Cerulean tripped over just about every baseball tossed at him.

"Damn…" Cerulean fell on his backside thanks to a well aimed four-seamer. "Damn it all…"

"Yay, a new playmate!" The Baseball Monster cried with glee. "You're very fun to play with!"

"You piece of…" Cerulean, irked by the Baseball Monster's childishness, aimed his Love Stick. "Random Splash!"

"Ooh." The Baseball Monster parried Cerulean's attack easily. "Shiny, sparkly water magic makes me soooo scared."

As the one-on-one fight continued, Epinard grew increasingly perturbed at the Baseball Monster's fixation on Cerulean. _Come on, fight the rest of us, you bastard!_

"All right, everyone! Time to unite our powers!" Scarlet announced as he readied for a Love Attack. "Spa-"

"That's not going to be possible, what with Cerulean-sempai so fixed on his duel," Sulfur interrupted.

"A single misstep could mean trouble," Vesta added. "So we need to incapacitate the Baseball Monster first."

"All right, then!" Scarlet pointed his Love Stick at the Baseball Monster. "Scarlet Lumiere!"

"You guys stay out of the way!" The Baseball Monster sent another barrage of baseballs at the four Battle Lovers and automatically turned his attention back to Cerulean. "You're not getting any slack, bub!"

_If… If I don't do anything…_ Epinard thought nervously, _En-chan could… What should I do?_

"You're done for!" The Baseball Monster cackled, giving Cerulean a good whack on the chest.

"G-Gah…" The sharp twinge of pain sent the Battle Lover to the ground.

"Now, for the finishing blow!" The Baseball Monster raised his bat high, intending to split Cerulean's head in half with it.

"Leave him alone!" Epinard, in the nick of time, came before the enemy, pushing against the baseball bat with his Love Stick.

"Why don't you leave _me_ alone?" The Baseball Monster growled, attempting to push Epinard aside, but failing miserably.

"You'll have to get through me first before you touch him!" Epinard roared, not showing a centimeter of letup.

"Epinard…" Cerulean, prone on the ground, got on his backside and looked up.

"Step aside!" The Baseball Monster stepped back a little. The relief of pressure temporarily distracted Epinard, who tumbled forward. That did not stop him from noticing the storm of baseballs coming at Cerulean, however, or successfully blocking said storm with his body.

"Argh…" Epinard nearly keeled over in a surge of pain. Despite how much damage he took, all he could think about was protecting the man he loved from every baseball thrown at them.

"Epinard!" Cerulean struggled to get up, using his Love Stick as an aid. "Stop it! Random Splash!"

Unlike the previous Random Splash, this attack managed to strike a rather distracted Baseball Monster. The monster reeled backward, weakened by the powerful water attack.

"Now's our chance! Sparkle, Lumiere of Love!" Scarlet prompted as his fellow Battle Lovers followed suit with their respective attacks. "You need to be careful, even in batting practice! You can still hurt people if you're not careful! Love Shower!"

"Ah… I feel like it's a warm summer morning… Perfect for a baseball game…" The Baseball Monster seemed to be at peace with his vision. "I see… So this is love…"

With that, the Baseball Monster reverted back to his human form, one with whom Vesta appeared to be familiar. "Hey, that's the famous baseball player from the San Francisco Peacocks, Pahmpis B. Ahtch! I can't believe he made it all the way to Japan! Oh, God, I'm such a big fan! I want to ask for his autograph!"

"Now, now, Vesta-sempai, ain't nobody got time for that." Scarlet pulled his comrade away. "Time to rest you-know-where."

"Damn you." Vesta cried as he and his comrades made their way to Kurotama.

~At Kurotama Bath House~

"There you go." Yumoto laid a very exhausted Atsushi down in the tub as Ryuu did the same to En. After about half an hour of bathing, and after Io and Ryuu had left, he asked Atsushi, "Do you feel a bit better now?"

"A little, but not much," Atsushi replied, a hint of pain still in his voice. Noticing that his best friend still slept in the bath, he added in sorrow, "He never got to find out whom the box of _manju_ was from. Valentine's Day is going to be over in about two hours, too."

"Kinugawa-sempai, I'm so sorry." Yumoto consoled the other teen. "He'll read it eventually, don't worry."

"Thanks. I feel blessed to have you as a friend." Atsushi proceeded to give his _kouhai_ a fist bump when he heard a sudden ripple in the water.

"Ugh…" En groaned, starting to wake up.

"Yoicks…" Yumoto jumped up, proceeding towards the exit. "I better leave you lovebirds alone, hehehe…"

"Lovebirds… That little buttmunch." Atsushi smiled.

"Thank goodness, I'm alive…" En splashed his face with bath water.

"En-chan, are you okay?"

"I'd be lying if I said, 'yes,' but I'm alive, and that's what matters."

"Yes… I suppose that is what matters." Atsushi noticed that there was only one hour of Valentine's Day left. _Oy, this small talk is almost unbearable._

"I don't know about you, but I'm bored as heck just waiting here," En spoke as he left the water and quickly wrapped a towel around himself.

"Are you sure you should be up right now?" Atsushi followed the actions of his friend.

"I'll die of boredom if I just sit here for however long."

"All right, all right, anything you say."

En fetched a gym bag out of the locker, out of which he pulled a change of clothes. Atsushi couldn't resist his urge to study En's wondrous figure as he removed the towel. He had seen the other young man in the nude many times, but there seemed to be some particular charm in the act of disrobing. Atsushi swiftly turned his head away and closed his legs out of fear that he would make his lust painfully obvious.

"All right, I'm ready to-" En felt fuddled by his friend's coy appearance. "You okay, Atsushi?"

"Sure, sure, sure…" Atsushi frantically dressed, dearly hoping that En couldn't notice his thoughts.

"Anyhoo, I'm going to go to Minasama no Ai Park to stroll around a bit. Then I'm going straight home."

"You… don't mind if I come with you?" Atsushi's mouth moved without thinking.

"No, not at all." Already standing at the bath house exit, En motioned for Atsushi to leave with him. To their joy, the air felt mildly cool, and not a cloud decorated the sky. "If there's a higher power up there, then I'm thankful to it for this weather. It's just perfect for Valentine's Day couples."

"Uh huh…" Atsushi, despite how wonderful En looked to him, couldn't bear to look at him on the entire walk to Minasama no Ai. "You don't think it's weird, two guys coming to a park like this on Valentine's Day?"

"Why would that be weird?"

Atsushi couldn't decide if En's ignorance annoyed him or made him feel relieved. "Heh, heh… Forget I said that."

"I'd hate to bug you about school at a time like this, but…" En started as he and Atsushi roosted under a tree. "I fell asleep during Mr. Mayichi Balls' class. I don't suppose you have the notes? Can you give them to me in class tomorrow?"

"I have them right now, actually. Here."

"Thanks a bunch." En gratefully received the notes. "That class really is a handful. I don't understand Shakespeare's _Julius Caesar_ at all."

"There's a ton of really deep themes, though, if you think about it. Especially towards the end of the play."

"You should totally explain them to me sometime. It would be much appreciated."

"Yes, of course…" Atsushi, noting the time on the clock tower nearby, really felt uncomfortable talking about academics in the middle of such a romantic situation. _He probably forgot about that box of _manju,_ and Valentine's Day is almost up. I suppose I have to tell him about my feelings verbally._

"By the way, thanks for protecting me earlier. I think I would have died if it weren't for you. You're a truly dependable, wonderful comrade."

_A comrade…_ Atsushi's face contorted with disappointment. _Is that all he thinks about me? So, he really doesn't return my feelings after all…_

"You look like you're very deep in thought," En noticed. "You want to spill the beans?"

"Um, En-chan…" Atsushi felt accomplished just from saying that much. _Stars above, I don't think I can do this._

"Wait, hold on a bit." En gestured for Atsushi to stop. "Before you tell me whatever it is you're thinking, let me stow these notes in my handbag. Don't want to lose the- Hey, what's this?"

"Eh?" Atsushi wondered what else could possibly be in that bag, so he was rather shocked to see En retrieve a beautiful box.

"Oh, yeah, that box of _manju_ that I got from some random person at Kurotama." En grinned. "Not to mention that beautiful card that I was about to open. Thank goodness it didn't get damaged; now I can read it and find out who gave it to me."

_Dear God…_ Atsushi's quickening pulse did not help him conceal the embarrassed look on his face.

"It's very well-made. I gotta hand it to whatever company that makes designs so beautiful."

As En opened the card to read the message written inside, Atsushi clenched his eyes and fists, unable to so much as steal a glance at his beloved.

"A message is written here," En remarked. "Here's what it says:

'Dear En-chan,

I thought that academics were my whole life. I really thought that all I wanted was to beat Kinshiro in GPA and become Binan High's valedictorian. Being the object of admiration of students everywhere highly appealed to me. You can imagine how surprised I was, then, to find out that I have found a far deeper and more important love: you.

I find it so pathetic that I'm too shy to even confess to you out loud, that I have to take advantage of the romantic nature of Valentine's Day to do it. I pray to the heavens above that the effort I put into this message, this card, and getting this box of _manju_ is enough for me to tell you how much I love you. Because I know for a fact that my timid nature just won't let me tell you out loud. I know you probably won't ever return my feelings, especially because we're both guys. Yet that can't possibly stop me from doing everything in my power to make you the happiest man in the world.

I would love to write more, but my mind is too exhausted of ideas. Some salutatorian of Binan High I am. Plus, you're probably super creeped out by this point.

Sincerely, your best friend,

Kinugawa Atsushi'"

After an awkward and long pause, Atsushi let out a weak laugh. "Crazy stuff, eh? Ha, ha, ha…"

"Atsushi, why did you have to do this?" En put the card in the envelope and the entire package in his handbag. "Why did you feel your timid nature would get in the way?"

"…" Atsushi almost turned the other way, for he couldn't find a suitable reply.

"Atsushi, talk to me," En implored. "Your silence is really starting to irritate me. If you say nothing, I'm going to hate you for it later."

"But you already hate me right now, don't you?" Atsushi, very flustered, finally managed to make eye contact with the other teen. "I mean, the fact remains that we're both guys. It could never work out between us, anyway. So please, just forget that I ever said anything."

"Atsushi…"

"I wish I had never fallen in love with you!" Atsushi shouted through a face of tears. "I just hope that other people don't find out. I'll be the subject of hate of every conservative in this city."

"Then I'll just have to protect you from them," En uttered sincerely, placing his hands over Atsushi's.

"Huh?" Atsushi stopped crying.

"Atsushi, do you have any idea why I got mad at you just now? Do you have any idea why I couldn't stand you being so shy and quiet?"

"N-No..?"

"It's because…" En now began to sound more nervous than Atsushi had. "I wish you had confessed to me sooner. Then I would have had an excuse to tell you that I love you, too."

"Do you really mean that?" Atsushi felt alight from hearing that last sentence.

"S-Shit…" En stuttered. "Now I understand why you were nervous in the first place."

"And now I understand why you were so annoyed at me for being a chicken." Atsushi giggled.

"Atsushi, before the clock strikes midnight…" En spoke as he wiped the last of Atsushi's tears. "Before we have to leave this wonderful place… There's one last thing I need to do."

"Took the words right out of my mouth."

The stars, with no clouds to hide their light, shone upon the kiss that En so softly planted on Atsushi's lips. Atsushi only dreamed of kissing the man he adored so much. Now that he could feel En's lips on his own, the reality of it all gave him pure elation. He wished to the stars above that he didn't have to ever leave; all he wanted was to remain there forever, with En's warmth and heartbeat to keep him company.

"Happy Belated Valentine's Day, I suppose," Atsushi offered.

"Same to you. I better walk you home, now," En spoke as he and Atsushi rose, hand-in-hand. "It would only be proper form for me to walk my boyfriend home. Come, your family must be worried about you."

Atsushi easily acquiesced to this request. Though his moment under the stars with En ended, he took great happiness knowing that his greatest wish had finally been granted.


	4. A Spy Lurks

Chapter 4 – A Spy Lurks

"Glad you could make it home before it got too cold," En told Atsushi after they arrived at Atsushi's house.

"You better hurry, too. I heard it's going to get to 12.78˚C later tonight. Your family must be worried sick."

"I'm more concerned about yours… I better get going, then. Good night."

"Good night!" Atsushi gave his boyfriend a quick departing kiss. After he entered his home, he released a fangirl-like squeal that he could not suppress. "Kyaa! I can't believe I have a boyfriend!"

In the midst of his blissful thoughts, however, Atsushi heard a rather unpleasant voice descend the stairs. "What did you say?!"

_Oh, no…_ Atsushi's delighted face instantly fell. It did not take long for a woman, with her daunting stare and unnerving voice, to appear before him.

"There should be absolutely no reason whatsoever for you to be home this late!" the woman roared.

"Sorry, I'll be careful from now on…" _Does she have no regard for the hour?_

"Now, Noriko, calm down," a man's much more friendly voice sounded. "Your little brother is in high school, after all."

"How can you be so calm, Hiroshi?" Noriko turned her attention to her husband. "First our parents' divorce, and now my little brother is out playing hooky?"

"He was probably just on a date, haha." Hiroshi didn't seem intimidated by his wife's voice in the slightest.

Embarrassed by his brother-in-law's suggestion, Atsushi briskly walked to his room, refraining from looking at his relatives.

"Hmm…" Hiroshi gave Atsushi's swiftly closed door an interested look. "Perhaps I was right."

"In that case, I'd love to learn more about the woman who makes my little brother do these… interesting things." Noriko smirked.

~The next day at Binan High…~

"My God, Professor Mai Buhtalks' class today was soooo boring!" En yawned, preparing to rest his head on the Chikyuubouei-bu's meeting room desk. "She rambled so much about integrals and derivatives and shit that I thought I was literally going to die of boredom."

"I'm so glad I don't have to take that class," Io spoke while typing on his laptop. "Professor Weeness Peeness' microeconomics class is fascinating. I could listen to him talk about supply and demand all day long."

"I totally beat everyone's butt in dodgeball today." Ryuu proudly displayed a victory sign. "Professor Yuri Nidiot's gym class is nothing short of amazing."

Atsushi was about to share his own interesting school experience of the day when all of a sudden, he noticed a text message appear on his phone. "So, how did things go last night with Yufuin-sempai?"

Atsushi texted back, "You could just talk to me in person, Yumoto. We're in the same room, you know."

"But you don't want Wombat, Tawarayama-sensei, Naruko-sempai, or Zaou-sempai to find out about you guys, do you?"

"No, I guess not."

"So tell me what happened."

"It turns out that he read the message and accepts my feelings. He took me home, we kissed twice, and we're now officially boyfriends."

Yumoto worked hard to contain the squeal threatening to escape as he texted, "That's so cute! I knew you guys would end up as a couple someday."

"Yeah, but it's not all good. Onee-san got really angry that I arrived home late. If it wasn't for her husband covering for me, I could have really had it."

"Still, I feel very happy for you. I don't know who's the luckier guy. I hope to find a boyfriend as wonderful as Yufuin-sempai."

"Tee hee…"

Ryuu noticed the fun game that Atsushi and Yumoto appeared to be playing. Very curious to know what mischief they could be up to, he cut in, "Hey, what are you guys doing over there?"

"Urk…" Atsushi quickly hid his phone as Yumoto did the same. "Playing Fruit Ninja?"

"Yeah, because Fruit Ninja is the kind of game that makes you look like you're about to squeal."

"I got a special app that makes kittens fly across the screen in that game!" Yumoto instantly felt that his lie was very poorly crafted. He could tell that Ryuu knew it.

"Bullshit, let me see!" Ryuu struggled to pry Atsushi's phone out of his hands.

"No!" Atsushi resisted, and was secretly relieved when his phone began to ring. "Hey, a phone call! If you would excuse me for a minute."

Now outside the meeting room, Atsushi recognized the caller I.D. as that of Noriko. "Hey, Atsushi? I'm going to be in the area to get some special groceries. Do you want me to take you home, or are you okay with walking home?"

"That's okay, Onee-san. I can go home by myself."

"Okay, then. If you change your mind, call me."

"I will. Bye." Atsushi turned the phone off and re-entered Chikyuubouei-bu.

"What happened?" Ryuu asked.

"Nothing special. Onee-san has been into a real Greek food kick lately. She's going to try making some Greek food for dinner tonight."

"That is interesting!" Ryuu replied. "My brothers are terrible cooks. I'm surprised they know how to cook toast."

"Like you're the one to talk," Io interrupted with a giggle.

"Come again?" Ryuu and Io began to play-fight, completely ignoring their peers.

It was in the midst of the frolicking around that Atsushi received another text – this time, from En. "I don't suppose I could come over for dinner? It's only natural for us to meet each other's families."

"Sorry, En-chan, but until I can gauge how accepting Onee-san would be, I don't want to tell her just yet."

"Really? That's a shame. I told my parents about it last night, and they were totally cool with it. My little sister just about lost her mind. In the yaoi fangirl sense, anyway."

"Why, aren't you the lucky one?"

"I understand completely, though. I've heard stories about parents kicking their kids out of the house for being gay. I wouldn't want you to be one of those."

"Oh, so is everyone into texting Kinugawa-sempai now?" Ryuu resented feeling left out. "Here, why don't I send you one?"

"Okaaaay…" Atsushi looked at the new message on his phone, which he read aloud: "I'm the king of popularity around here. Not you, butthead."

"I dare say!" Io interjected, sending Atsushi the following message: "Ignore him. He's a douchebag."

"You guys are too funny…" Atsushi couldn't help but feel amused at all the attention he seemed to be getting. Even as he proceeded to the school entrance and then home, he received many compliments, such as, "You're way too brilliant," and, "You're going to kick that Kinshiro's ass someday."

Before Atsushi could take the main road home, En stopped him in his tracks. "Instead of walking home, do you want me to take you in my car?"

"You have a car?"

"Well, not really. My parents are going out for their anniversary, and my little sister is having a sleepover at a friend's house. So I had to drive today. Don't worry – we're not going to make Noriko worried again."

"All right… I trust you, En-chan."

"Even if I can't eat dinner at your house just yet," En started as he and Atsushi got in the car, "let me buy you some groceries. I could indirectly help you with dinner. What are you having tomorrow night?"

"Onee-san is going to make _moussaka_, _baklava_, and a bunch of side dishes that I can't pronounce. You can tell she really loves Greece."

"Is that so?" En questioned as he stopped at a well-decorated grocery store. "Then I know exactly what to get here. First off, you're going to want lamb meat, which is traditional in Greek _moussaka._ Though I suppose you could use beef if you can't find lamb anywhere."

"Got it."

"Also, for the _baklava,_ you're going to want to use a decent amount of almonds and walnuts."

"En-chan, between this and your knowledge of _chikuwabu_…" Atsushi stared at En in amazement as they made their way to the fairly long checkout line, "Maybe you should be a professional chef in your career. How did you get to be so knowledgeable about Greek food?"

"That's mainly because I'm part Greek myself. My mom makes Greek food a lot at home. She's also half French."

"It's amazing that we have someone so racially diverse in Chikyuubouei-bu," Atsushi pondered as En bought the items.

"Truth be told, I think you're the only full-blooded Japanese person in the club. There's no way that Yumoto could be pure Japanese with that hair and eyes of his. Ryuu's surname is obviously Chinese, and Io is the name of one of Zeus' lovers in Greek mythology."

"I'm ashamed that there's so many things I don't know about you…" Atsushi frowned. "Even though we're lovers."

"Come on." En gave the other teen a slap on the back. "It's not that big a deal. I think it's the only thing you don't know about me, anyway! I mean, how long have we known each other?"

"Oh, you're cute!" Atsushi play-fought with En all the way to the car. Unbeknownst to him, another person watched the couple from a distance.

"That can't be… who I think it is?! Atsushi and… another guy? Part of me hopes I'm wrong…"

"Is there anywhere else you want to go?" En asked. "The lamb is going to stay frozen for about an hour or so, so we have about that much time to kill if you want to."

"Anywhere you want to go, love."

Though the hour that Atsushi had with En passed quickly, the couple cherished every second they had. They were blissfully ignorant that someone stalked them the whole time, their relationship of very deep interest. At the end of the hour, En found himself at the entrance to Atsushi's house, unaware of what awaited him inside.

"After I help you put away the groceries… You want to do something?" En sounded particularly alluring. He wrapped one arm around Atsushi and kissed his cheek.

Atsushi knew exactly what his boyfriend had in mind. "Oh, I… I don't know. Onee-san could get home at any minute. If she catches us…"

"I'll take full responsibility."

"You're far too kind, En-chan." Atsushi kissed En back. As he gradually began to feel more romantic, the presence of a great group of people in the living room shocked him. The cold stare of his sister unnerved him even more.

"Atsushi! Where have you been?" Noriko asked, obvious anger behind her voice.

"At the store. Hey, at least we weren't out too late, or to any place very far away."

"That's not the point! What's the story behind you holding hands with En?" Noriko took note of how intimate her brother appeared with his boyfriend.

"Well…" Atsushi, not feeling the need to hold anything back, tightened his grip on En's hand. "He's my boyfriend. Got a problem with that?"

"Oh, I knew that all along! I saw you two getting all lovey-dovey near the European supermarket! And yes, I have a problem with that! You know you can't get married to him or have children with him! What good could possibly come out of a romantic relationship between two guys? What if our parents find out? They're going to disown you!"

_Yoicks…_ En did not enjoy the negativity Noriko hurled at him. _Maybe I should get out of here…_

As En made way for the front door, Atsushi's face took on a sad look. "Wait, En-chan!"

"I'll talk to you later," En whispered, giving Atsushi a quick kiss before leaving in his car.

"Onee-san…" Atsushi turned a nervous face back to Noriko. "Why'd you have to do that?"

"I don't want to hear it!" Noriko pointed upstairs. "Get to your room this instant!"

As the troubled teen followed orders, one of Noriko's friends spoke up. "That wasn't very nice!"

"What do you mean? I can't have my little brother be gay! No way, no how!"

"Noriko, chillax. I've got plenty of gay friends, and they're some of the nicest people you'll ever meet."

"Not that I'd ever want to meet people like that!"

"All right, forget I said anything…" The friend attempted to return to the original conversation.

Meanwhile, Atsushi cried loudly into his pillow. His head bulged in pain, and lethargy began to take him over. "Sniff… I can't believe Onee-san would tell me such horrible things. I thought that because she's friends with so many kinds of people, she would be accepting of my relationship with En-chan…"

A knock and voice at his door startled Atsushi. "Atsushi, can I have a word with you?"

"Yes, Hiroshi?"

Hiroshi closed the door behind him and sat in the seat by Atsushi's desk. "It's about your relationship with En."

"Please, please…" Atsushi begged, burying his face in the pillow. "Not you, too. I've had enough homophobia for one day."

"Let me just tell you that I think the two of you make a cute couple. I fully support your guys' relationship. I don't know what's gotten into that wife of mine, but I'll try talking to her."

"Hiroshi…" Atsushi felt consoled by his brother-in-law's kind words. "Thank you. Perhaps there is some hope, then. Yes, I definitely won't give up on Onee-san just yet."


	5. Hope in the GSA

Chapter 5 – Hope in the GSA  


"Why the long face, Kinugawa-sempai?" Yumoto found Atsushi's sorrowful face to be very disconcerting. Professor Tawarayama's class had just ended, and Yumoto still had sand in his eyes, as he had slept through the entire class. Luckily for Atsushi, he and Yumoto were the only ones remaining in the classroom.

"It's about Onee-san."

"I see… She didn't accept your relationship with Yufuin-sempai."

"At least she didn't kick me out of the house. My brother-in-law saved my butt."

"Well, well, well!" Yumoto gave Atsushi an assertive look and planted his fists on his hips. "We're going to have to do something about that mean sister of yours! Follow me."

"Where are we going?" Atsushi wasn't sure if he liked Yumoto's firm attitude.

"There's a new Gay-Straight Alliance that was just formed on campus a few days ago. We're still deciding on officers and a roadmap for the semester. But we're a very loose, friendly group. It's mostly good, but…"

"But?"

"You might not like who the sponsor is," Yumoto finished as he opened the door for the very full GSA meeting room. "Take a look."

"Why, hello, there!" An obnoxious voice greeted Atsushi and Yumoto. "It's been a long while!"

"Oh, hell no!" Atsushi recognized the sponsor as Kurotori Moteo, spurring a flurry of unpleasant bathhouse flashbacks. "I'm getting the hell out of here and away from that creep!"

"But he's changed!" Yumoto insisted as he grabbed his _sempai's_ collar. "After he had to disband the ballet club due to a lack of interest, he decided to sponsor the GSA."

"Yeah, but you're not the one traumatized by certain… occurrences."

"You want to help your sister understand, don't you?"

"Okay, you win." Atsushi resigned himself to the fact that in order to establish equality in his house, he was going to have to face a disturbing fear.

"Now that you're here, why don't we start the meeting?" Kurotori proposed as Atsushi and Yumoto took front row seats. "As most of you may know, this is a fairly new club. Ergo, we do not have officers yet. In the last meeting, we discussed some of the responsibilities of the officer positions. In today's meeting, we're going to nominate people and cast votes. Now, who would like to nominate someone for the treasurer position?"

Atsushi didn't like the absolute silence in the room. _If only Io were here, then it would be a unanimous decision._

"Okay, I guess we're going to have to put that off for a while. But we absolutely must decide the president and vice president today. Who'd like to be nominated for president?"

"I nominate Yumoto!" a student hollered from the back.

"Me too!" shouted another, starting a ripple effect of nominations.

"All right, any other nominations?" Kurotori asked, shocked at the lack of replies. "It seems you're running unopposed, Hakone-kun. That makes you the new president of GSA."

"Hooray!" Yumoto cheered. "I'll do great, I promise!"

_There's something to be said about being Binan High's only openly gay student…_ Atsushi thought as Yumoto reclaimed his seat. _I bet he's very popular with the LGBT community._

"Time to move on to VP nominations, then," Kurotori continued.

"Ooh, ooh!" Yumoto raised his hand, coming just short out of jumping out of his seat. "I nominate Kinugawa-sempai!"

"Kinugawa?" a student questioned. "As in… our salutatorian, Kinugawa Atsushi?"

"I didn't know he was into the GSA," another student thought aloud.

"I nominate Dixie Normus!" a student from the front row spoke up.

"I nominate Justin Aswhole!"

As more nominations came about, Kurotori spoke, "Hmm… The VP position is quite popular, I must say. Very well, I'll call you each one by one. When I call your name, come up here and give a brief speech as to why you should be the inaugural VP of Binan High's GSA. We'll start with you, Heywood Jablomie."

"Yumoto, what have you done?" Atsushi whispered to his _kouhai_ as the speeches drew on. "I'm in too delicate a position to be VP of this kind of organization."

"Don't worry. I'll cover for you and help you. Have I ever steered you wrong?"

"Well, no, but-"

"All right, that just leaves you, Kinugawa-kun," Kurotori announced.

"Urk…" Atsushi walked up to the podium, shaking as he did so. _I don't even know what to say! I need to seriously reprimand that buttmunch Yumoto later._

"You may begin," Kurotori prompted.

"Okay…" Atsushi carefully scanned the room, hoping to shake off the nerves. In the middle of his anxiety, he suddenly remembered why he came to the GSA in the first place, and began to talk. "I know I'm the salutatorian of Binan High, but today, I come before you as a struggling gay youth. You see, I recently came out to my older sister by introducing my boyfriend to her. But she coldly rejected us. This group has given me renewed hope that I can not only sway my sister, but also prevent the bigoted from doing unto others what was done unto me. As the vice president of this GSA, I will do my utmost to ensure that every youth on this campus has a safe haven to go to and is more honest with the world, regardless of their sexuality."

"That was… beautiful…" Yumoto shed a tear as the audience clapped.

"Yes, indeed." Kurotori agreed. "I'll pass out the ballots, then."

_That wasn't so bad after all!_ Atsushi thought as he watched his fellow students hand in their ballots. _Even if I don't make it, at least I got to share my story, and that's what matters most._

"All right, it's a very, very close race," Kurotori told the group as he studied the results. "It's a tie between Kinugawa-kun and Seymour Weenir."

"Kurotori-sensei, you still have one more ballot back here!" a student, who sat next to another student with his head on the desk, alerted.

"It looks like it could be the deciding vote, then," Kurotori noted, taking the ballot. Walking up to the front, he declared, "Well, I'll be! It _is_ the deciding vote. Congratulations, Kinugawa-kun, you're the new VP of the GSA."

"Oh, my…" Kinugawa stared absentmindedly as Yumoto gave him a big hug. "It's quite an honour, but… Who was the deciding vote?"

"Yo, wake up!" The student sitting next to the sleeping student gave him a flick on the head.

"Hm? Oh, Atsushi, congratulations!" The student offered as he straightened out his hair. The Battle Lover appeared surprised at the student's presence in the room, yet inside felt delighted that he cared to show up.

"Yufuin-sempai, why are you here?" a GSA member asked.

"Simple. Atsushi is my boyfriend, and I've come here to support him."

"Cute, cute," Kurotori quipped, casting a wink in En's direction. "Don't worry, my dear, your secret is safe in this club. In the meantime, we're going to have to elect a treasurer, secretary, and sergeant-at-arms when there's more interest. Until then, see you guys!"

Atsushi could sense that his boyfriend had a deeper reason for coming to the GSA meeting. He was annoyed, then, that none of the other members seemed to want to leave. In about an hour's time, the three Chikyuubouei-bu members were the only ones who remained.

"I guess my secret is out, then, huh…" En spoke absentmindedly.

"Not really," Yumoto answered. "I knew about you guys all along. Kinugawa-sempai asked me for advice on how to confess to you."

"And you did a really great job." En gave his _kouhai_ a round of applause. "I was totally smitten by the box of _manju_ and the card."

Atsushi found the remark rather amusing as he asked, "Are you sure you don't have another reason for being here?"

"Being here is my greatest consolation – or, in Greek, _kalyteros parigoria_ – that you will make it through your fight to soften you sister's stance on our relationship. Besides me being there as your boyfriend, of course."

"You're part Greek? That's pretty amazing," Yumoto commented. "I am part German, myself."

"I knew it!"

"I personally thought he was Italian or something, haha." Changing the subject, Atsushi asked, "Do you think we can get Io and Ryuu to join, too?"

"I'll tell you right now that it'll be a no-go with Ryuu," En replied. "Anything that he thinks will make him less popular with women is out of the question. As for Io, I'm sure he'll join if we tell him that we make a boatload of money in this club. He'd make a great treasurer, too."

"The power of the yen." Atsushi enjoyed the playful conversation so much that he deeply resented the alarm that resounded from his bracelet.

"Why does this kind of thing always happen when we're having a good time?" Yumoto whined.

"I don't know, but I'd rather get out of here fast before I'm outed," answered Atsushi. "Don't get me wrong; I'm proud to be part of this group. But…"

"It's going to take a while for you," Yumoto finished. "I understand that. Coming out is different for everyone."

"I'll do whatever it takes to help you." En promised. "Even if your sister wants my head on a platter, I will not be daunted."

"En-chan, Yumoto... Thank you. Well, let's not waste time!" Atsushi proposed. "Love Making!"

~In downtown…~

"I don't see a monster anywhere…" Frustrated, Vesta looked in just about every crevasse of the area, even so desperate as to peek in a dumpster. The strong gusts of wind did not aid him, however, as several banana peels and pairs of dirty socks smacked him in the face. "Gross! I wonder if the enemy has something to do with trash."

"I'm sure we'd smell it from a mile away if that were true," Sulfur replied. "It would smell far worse than dirty socks, or rotten eggs, or really bad farts, or the toi-"

"Okay, I get it. Thanks for making me feel better." Vesta felt relieved when what hit him next was not another banana peel, but a manga of some kind.

"What do you got there?" Epinard asked.

"I think it's a shoujo manga," answered Vesta. "It's… Oh, God!"

"What?" Sulfur took the book from him. "Why, it's a yaoi manga. The art is quite fine, indeed. Their bodies are simply beautiful. It's a shame that there are tears in very convenient spots."

"What on Earth are you talking about?"

Before Vesta could add another comment, Cerulean spoke up. "It's not just that one. There's a ton of yaoi manga around here that are the same way."

"By the looks of it, someone probably raided a bookstore of its yaoi manga," Epinard noted. "There's a trail of them! Any signs of where the origin is?"

"Epinard-sempai!" Scarlet pointed west. "Look! Something's going haywire at that bookstore!"

"Holy…" The storm of books flying out of the bookstore left Cerulean flabbergasted. "This place is a tornado! I take it this is where the monster is?"

"You would be correct!" A monster covered in all kinds of books appeared. "Behold the Literature Monster! I'm here to purge all bookstores of impure material!"

"Impure?" Scarlet snarled. "What's so impure about yaoi manga?"

"It depicts the most disgusting things! There's nothing beautiful about love between two men!"

"I dare you to say that again?!" Epinard sprinted forward, anger spread across his face. "Something-Or-Other Storm!"

"Someone's enthusiastic!" The Literature Monster cackled, dodging the Something-Or-Other Storm easily. "You're not a queer, are you?"

Exasperated, Epinard answered, "There's absolutely nothing wrong with gay romance! You're out of your mind!"

"Yeah, come off it!" Cerulean launched a Random Splash at the Literature Monster. "What's it to you that some people enjoy that kind of literature?"

"Urgh…" The Literature Monster displayed signs of weakness.

"You're simply awful!" Scarlet shot a Scarlet Lumiere at his foe.

"They're very…" Vesta started.

"…enthusiastic, aren't they?" Sulfur eyed his three comrades suspiciously.

"Don't just stand there, you dunderheads!" Scarlet scolded the two friends. "Let's strike this meanie with a Love Shower!"

"Oh, right," Vesta and Sulfur spoke in chorus as they followed Scarlet's orders and reverted the Literature Monster to human form.

"That was a close call!" Epinard wiped sweat from his brow. "If we had let him rampage any further, he could have razed this bookstore to the ground."

"I didn't think it was that hard." Vesta rested his arms behind his head.

"Yeah, because you didn't do jack-diddly-squat!" Scarlet flicked Vesta on the bridge of his nose.

"Ouch! I can see why you were so enthusiastic, Scarlet. But Epinard and Cerulean, the two of you acted like angry yaoi fangirls."

"You're stupid!" Cerulean lightly wacked the pink head with his Love Stick. "If you hate yaoi so much, then why not go read your hentai manga or something."

"Maybe I will!" Vesta, giving no regards to his comrades, left the bookstore in a huff. "Good-freaking-bye!"

"I wouldn't like to meet the thing that put the bug up _his_ butt…" Epinard shook his head. "Sulfur, you have any idea what's up with him?"

"…" Sulfur, staring at the trail that Vesta took, refused to answer the Piercing Prince. Rather, he took the same trail in a far more sluggish fashion.

"There's something going on between those two…" Scarlet suspected. "Maybe I should look into it."

"Don't you dare," Epinard warned as the trio fixed to relax at Kurotama. "Curiosity killed the cat."

"Wait, Sulfur-sempai!" Scarlet ran, only encouraging Sulfur to run faster.

The Sparkling Prince soon wished that he heeded Epinard's advice when Sulfur suddenly lashed out at him. "Leave me alone, you asswipe! Can't you tell when someone doesn't want to talk? God!"

"I… think you were right, Epinard-sempai," Scarlet spoke as he decided to avert Sulfur. "I can't help but feel worried about him, though…"

Finally relieved that the obnoxious Scarlet had given him some reprieve, Sulfur reverted to normal form. Knowing that the source of his worries would likely reside in Kurotama, he concluded that the only course of action was to walk home.

"Ryuu…" Io spoke in anguish, exacerbated by the chill of winter. "Sometimes… Sometimes, the things you do worry me so."


	6. Wintry Gust

Chapter 6 – Wintry Gust

There was something about that fight last night that I couldn't get off my mind.

Maybe it was the constant barrage of garbage that hit Ryuu in the face. Boy, was that hilarious.

Maybe it was the flurry of yaoi manga that flew out of the bookstore. Those _mangaka_ really know how to create gorgeous works of art.

Whatever it was, the one thing that I couldn't forget was the wintry gust I endured on my walk home and the hurt that accompanied it. But what could have possibly caused-

"Naruko-kun!" The teacher pulled me out of my daydream.

"Professor!" I turned my attention away from the dreamy sunlight from the window. Professor Weeness Peeness was my favourite teacher at Binan High. What a shame that I missed out on one of his intriguing microeconomics lectures because of a petty daydream!

"You weren't paying attention to a thing I said, were you?" Professor Peeness flared at me. "Maybe if you paid attention in class more often, you'd be number 2 in this school instead of that blasted Kinugawa."

"Sorry, sir, it won't happen again," I promised.

"Anyway, that's the end of class. Dismissed!"

I hurried my way out of class, dearly hoping that Professor Peeness wouldn't point out my idiocy a second time. Even moreso, I was dying to go to Chikyuubouei-bu, hoping to see a certain pink-haired individual there.

Unfortunately, the only ones who greeted me there were the Three Stooges: Yufuin-sempai, Kinugawa-sempai, and Yumoto.

"Hello, Naruko-sempai!" Yumoto waved at me. "I thought you would never come."

"Io, if you're wondering where Ryuu went, he's out on another date," Yufuin-sempai told me.

"He's quite the playboy, that Ryuu," Kinugawa-sempai remarked. "He's picked up more girls at Efyu High than I can count."

"You shouldn't be jealous, my dear." Yufuin-sempai took Kinugawa-sempai by the hand. "We go on plenty of dates ourselves. And unlike that buffoon, we can actually keep a steady relationship."

_Wait, what?!_ After I left my mouth open for a good five seconds, I asked, "So, you guys like going to Efyu, too?"

"Guys…" Yumoto pointed at me. "You do know that Naruko-sempai is here, right?"

"Oh, by the way, Io," Yufuin-sempai turned to me. "Atsushi and I are boyfriends. Just thought I'd mention it."

"Okaaay…" I couldn't believe what I heard. Two members of my own club, at an all-boys school, no less, were going out… with each other? Still, I couldn't treat such dear friends with unkindness. "Well, as long as you're happy together, that's perfectly fine."

"You're very bold, En-chan." Kinugawa-sempai giggled, giving his boyfriend a kiss on the cheek. Just as I felt I had seen enough canoodling to last me centuries, Yumoto began to panic.

"Oh, crap! It's only 10 minutes until GSA!" Tapping his other two _sempai _on the shoulders, he suggested, "Come on, we're going to be late!"

"GSA?" I followed the Three Stooges out of Chikyuubouei-bu. The name "GSA" sounded very fancy to me. If there was any chance of it being a well-to-do economics organization, I had to learn more. "What's that?"

"The new Gay-Straight Alliance that was just formed on campus," Yumoto answered. "I'm the president, Kinugawa-sempai's the VP, and Yufuin-sempai is the secretary."

Yumoto's gleeful answer disappointed me. There was no way under the sun that something like a "Gay-Straight Alliance" could make me a single yen. I turned away from them and prepared to check the stock market as usual.

"This is a particularly important meeting, too," I heard Kinugawa-sempai say. "We're going to discuss the new shop we're going to open on campus. There are a lot of people interested, so we need to know how we're going to go about selling their goods."

"Wait…" I turned back, as the word "shop" had piqued my interest. "You guys are going to sell things?"

"Yep," Yumoto replied. "We have many members who are selling things with the help of national LGBT organizations. Some people make clothing designs, some people make handicrafts, and some people sell art. There are even very experienced members who have sold over ¥1 billion in merchandise."

"Can I accompany you guys there?" I asked. The chance at ¥1 billion? I'd be a fool to pass this chance up.

"Of course!" Kinugawa-sempai exclaimed. "The more, the merrier. Do you have anything in mind you want to sell, Io?"

"Not really. I have some experience in web design, but…"

"That's perfect!" Yumoto sounded excited as he opened the door to the GSA meeting room. "Kurotori-sensei, we've got a new web designer!"

"Hey, I know you!" The teacher, whom I remembered as the Black Swan Monster, studied me eerily. "You're Naruko Io, number 3 in all Binan High! Nice to meet you!"

"The pleasure is all mine…" I reluctantly shook Kurotori-sensei's hand. This guy's extroverted personality and fruity perfume creeped me out.

"He's a really financial genius, too," Yumoto praised. "He'd make a great treasurer."

"Yeah, I've heard stories about Naruko-sempai preventing a total stock market crash once," a student, named Heywood Jablomie, sounded.

I had no idea what this student spoke of, but considering how profitable this GSA seemed to be, I really wanted to be the treasurer now. It totally beat having to be treasurer for that stuffy student council, anyway.

"I think we can all concur that Naruko-sempai should be the new treasurer for GSA… Yes?" Heywood appeared pleased that the entire class was in accordance with him.

"That just leaves the sergeant-at-arms position available," Kurotori-sensei announced. "I haven't got any indication of interest for it, though…"

"It's my hope that we can elect one soon," Yumoto began, "and I know of a perfect candidate!"

For someone so irritating, Yumoto had really good connections. After Kurotori-sensei told the class he needed to make a quick run to the teacher's lounge, the group began to settle a bit. I took this opportunity to ask Yumoto, "So who is this 'perfect candidate' for sergeant-at-arms that you speak of?"

"Zaou-sempai, of course! He's got that lively spirit ideal for the position."

"You're… kidding, right?" I thought that Yumoto was out of his mind. Ryuu was so straight that he could make a broom jealous. On top of that, he showed such a homophobic attitude in last night's Literature Monster fight that he would guffaw at the idea.

Oh, no, that homophobic attitude again. That homophobic attitude, which lead to Ryuu storming off, which lead to me storming off, which lead to that wintry gust, which lead to-

"Naruko-sempai?" Yumoto gave me a playful poke on the cheek. "Are you all right?"

"It's nothing." I shook my head. There will be time to think about Ryuu later, but for now, I had to concentrate on how I could make ¥1 billion through this club. To hide this deep thought of mine, I changed the subject. "Why do you guys need a web designer?"

"There are several Japanese LGBT organizations that are having trouble making themselves known. Having presentable, interesting, and informative websites will help. That's where you come in. They pay very well, and there are many organizations that will need your help. It should be worth your while."

"When can I get started?" I questioned, opening my laptop in a desire to start my duties right away.

"Your first job will be to help the Kirabiyaka Campaign design their website, as they don't have one yet. They need a rough design in a fortnight. If you can submit the rough draft by then, you will get paid ¥1000000. When you're done, they would like you to visit their office so they can discuss what they want you to do."

"Where do I need to go?" I couldn't wait to get started on this duty. I haven't got paid that large a sum of money in weeks.

"It's right next to Efyu High. It will have a huge rainbow flag posted in front of it, so you can't miss it."

"Yoicks…" Oh, for the love of mother and child. Of all places for Kirabiyaka to have been built, it had to be next to that bastion of fanservice. I really felt the urge to tell Yumoto to go jump, but ¥1000000 was ¥1000000, and I would not let this opportunity slip away. "I'll do it!"

"Then we have a deal." Yumoto shook my hand.

"Sorry for the wait, everyone!" Kurotori-sensei returned with a bunch of streamers, balloons, and other extravagant decorations.

"What's all this?" I asked as a bag of streamers flew in my face.

"We're going to have a party in about two weeks," Yumoto answered from the podium. "After we discuss the situation with the shops, we're going to the gym to decorate for the party. Since gym classes are being held outside for Field Day, the gym's the only place in Binan High that we can decorate right now."

"I don't know if I can go…" The notion of mingling with a bunch of flamboyant strangers did not appeal to me. Not only that, but I had a web page to create in a mere fortnight.

"As the new treasurer of the GSA, Io, you must go," Kinugawa-sempai insisted. "Not only that, but many people from the LGBT organizations are going to attend, so it's a great way to make connections."

"I guess I have no choice…" I resigned myself to Kinugawa-sempai's whim. The meeting that followed kept me entertained, at least. I learned that several people interested in selling things at the new GSA store are going to the party. Hm, maybe the party will be enjoyable after all. If I'm really lucky, I might be able to meet some of these people.

As it turned out, I was right. Nearly everyone at the party two weeks later wanted to talk to me, the supposed "Saviour of Stock Markets," and learn my secrets. The atmosphere felt so friendly that for once in a long while, I had a genuinely great time. When my favourite song played, I danced without a care in the world. People began to praise me for something other than my financial or academic skills – something I thought would never happen. It was at this moment I realized that I truly enjoyed the GSA. It nearly made me forget about that wintry gust from what felt like long ago.

One gentleman in particular, with his funky suit and polkadot bowtie, stood out – in an "I want to prove how eccentric I am" sense. If there were one person to avoid at this party, it would have been him. I didn't care much for punch, but it would certainly provide me with a good excuse to evade the man. As I went thence, the odd gentleman stopped me in my tracks.

"You're the Saviour of Stock Markets, Naruko Io, aren't you? Do you got a minute?"

"Sure…" I wished people would stop calling me that, as if I were Jesus Christ or something. "What is it?"

"I knew it!" The strange man shook my hand, then handed me his business card. "I'm Harry Balls, the brother of Professor Mayichi Balls."

I could barely stifle a giggle as those names escaped the man's lips. Their parents had to be comedians. "Pleased to meet you, sir."

"No, the pleasure is mine, Mr. Naruko. I've done business with your family for many years. It's an honour to finally meet the son of such a prominent family. Anyway, I'm the president of the Kirabiyaka Campaign. Did you complete the web design task?"

I nearly choked on the punch I drank, as the idea completely slipped my mind. "Yes."

"Excellent. I'm going to go to the headquarters in about an hour. I look forward to looking at your work."

As soon as Mr. Balls left my vicinity, I made haste for my home. Luckily, I didn't live very far from this high school, but I still hated forgetting important things at home. My mother proceeded to offer me lunch as I entered my house. "Hey, Io, I've prepared beef bowls a few minutes ago! You want some?"

Mother dear, 99.99% of the time, you can lure me into anything with that favourite food of mine. But I'm in the middle of something very important. "I just need to run a quick errand, then I'll be right back to eat lunch."

"That's fine, but hurry up. Your father and little sisters are going to eat it all if you take too long."

"Oh, I won't." I assured my mother as I ran out the door with my flash drive. Luckily for me, Mr. Balls paid no heed to my tardiness.

"Mr. Naruko!" Mr. Balls greeted me. "So nice to see you! You looked like you were thoroughly enjoying yourself at the party, though. Are you sure you want to be out here?"

"Of course. The deadline is today, after all. I apologize for not getting the work to you sooner."

"No trouble." Mr. Balls motioned towards a giant projector screen. "Just put the flash drive in this computer and show us what you've got so far."

"Yes, sir. As you can see here, I still need to fix a few hyperlinks. I'm also unsure as to what colour scheme I should use."

"A rainbow one would be a safe bet," one of Mr. Ball's assistants suggested. "It's the symbol of gay pride, so it's an obvious choice."

So, that's why there's a rainbow flag in front of this building. I felt like an idiot for not knowing something so rudimentary.

"As for the hyperlinks, I suggest removing or shortening the really long ones," another assistant commented. "Any hyperlinks that are too long will be very irritating for the public to deal with."

"Other than these minor editions, however, I think this is nearly flawless work," Mr. Balls perused the webpage, obviously impressed. "Just fix those minor things, and we'll have a finished product. As for compensation, I deposited the ¥1000000 into your account this morning."

"But I didn't even give you the website rough draft until just now."

"I knew you would do a good work. I've learned from doing business with your father that your family is very reliable. Anyway, that is all; you may go now, if you like."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Balls." I reclaimed my flash drive thankfully. Mr. Balls' words of kindness remained with me as I left Kirabiyaka's headquarters in bliss. Sure, it felt good to have made ¥1000000 in the span of a few minutes, but it felt even better to finally be appreciated for something that I worked hard on.

What didn't feel so good were the strident cries of teenage girls.

"Kyaa! Thanks so much for coming by!" they squealed. I would pay to get those Efyu girls to not utter a sound for an entire day.

"Next time, take me on a date!" another girl begged. With so much studying to do, I would think those girls would have more on their minds than just dates. I couldn't bear to hear their voices any longer, so I proceeded to home, where I knew delicious beef bowls awaited me.

"Any time, you guys!" a young man's voice sounded from the school. To my dismay, I recognized the voice easily. How could I not recognize the voice of my blockhead of a best friend? I could sense Ryuu's footsteps coming my way at a rapid rate. Forget the fact that I really wanted those beef bowls – if anything else, I could not let that kid cross my path.

Unfortunately for me, Ryuu noticed me even more easily when my walk became more brisk. "Io, thanks for coming by! You came to take me home, right?"

"No, I…" I couldn't let Ryuu know what I really came in the area for. He would have a giant hissy fit. Try as I might, though, I just couldn't come up with a plausible excuse. "I came here to… uh…"

"What, admire the scenery?"

"Yeah! Admire the scenery."

"That's got to be the lamest excuse I've ever heard. Can't you recognize sarcasm when you hear it?"

Oh, I can, but now you're starting to annoy me. I quickly increased my pace. "Don't you have another date to go on or something?"

"After that last one, no. Not for another week, at least."

"Well, why don't you book yourself full of dates instead of badgering me?" Why did I run away from Ryuu? And why did his persistence remind me of the wintry gust – now, of all times?

"Get back here!" Ryuu begged. "I want to talk to you!"

"Forget it! Please, leave me alone!" In my desperation to get away from Ryuu, I failed to notice the giant crack in the sidewalk.

"Io, be careful!" Ryuu reached for me, saving me from what could have been a nasty fall.

"Thanks for that, Ryuu."

"Anytime. Just watch where you're going next time, okay?"

Ryuu's voice no longer sounded pushy or irritating. It took on this air of concern and kindness that I had never heard from him. But more than that, Ryuu's current proximity to me allowed me to admire just how beautiful he was. His hazel eyes radiated warmth that reminded me of the hearth that had kept me cozy all winter. His arms felt like a blanket that I took refuge in when the space heater could not work, or when I had lost a chance to earn millions. His frame was so small that I couldn't resist the urge to wrap my arms around him. If I could stay like this forever, with the very gorgeous and wonderful Zaou Ryuu in my arms, I wouldn't need a single yen to be happy.

"Io, are you okay?" Ryuu's confused voice broke me out of my trance. "You're acting a bit… odd."

"Ah…" I swiftly let go. "How rude and silly of me."

"I understand if you're annoyed with me right now. I did pursue you for no good reason. If you'd rather not talk about it, then I can't force you."

With that, Ryuu left in the direction opposite to mine, probably to go on another date. I felt relieved that I didn't have to run for my life anymore, so I took a fairly slow pace home. I felt even more relieved that I finally understood something very important.

Now I finally understand why I've enjoyed my time thus far in GSA, and it's not because of the boatload of money I can make. Now I finally understand what bugged me about that battle against the Literature Monster and what aggravated that wintry gust. Ryuu had shown an obvious disdain for all things yaoi-related, which could only mean that he hated the notion of two men being together. But what got me even more is why this disdain of his, why his aversion to homosexuality has caused me so much distress of late.

I have fallen head over heels for my best friend.


	7. Renewed Hope

Chapter 7 – Renewed Hope

"That's such a load of baloney!" Heywood cried at the next GSA meeting. "You're kidding, I hope?"

"No, I'm not," Yumoto spoke in regret. "Gero-sempai just told me that the GSA is not a student council approved club. We have about a week to get approval and if we don't, we'll be forced to disband. This meeting is going to be dedicated to how we're going to convince the student council to let us stay as a club."

"Bogus!" Heywood huffed. "That student council is so belligerent! President Yumoto, allow me to treat that asshat Kinshiro like a human punching bag."

"That's not going to solve anything." Yumoto warned. "If you do that, you're going to hasten our end."

"I don't suppose we could buy our way out of it?" Io offered.

"That won't work, either. They're very high class, so money will have little sway."

"We've got quite the situation on our hands…" En folded his hands in deep thought. "I know from personal experience that the student council is very hard to persuade. Kinshiro is more stubborn than an ox."

"I've even heard that someone's spreading scandalous rumors about us," Justin intervened. "People have told the student council that we have drug-and-sex parties every day, and that they've seen us doing weapon sales in very sketchy places."

"I think that the party last night had something to do with it," En added. "We hold one party, and the student council suddenly gets the impression that we're party animals."

"I wouldn't like to meet the person who started those rumors…" Yumoto grimaced. "We've got to squash them as soon as we can. Considering how rumors can spread like wildfire in this school, we're going to have a hard time."

"This requires so much thinking!" Heywood kicked a chair across the room, as if to create a human bowling alley. "That does it, I'm going to give Kinshiro a piece of my mind!"

"Let me come with you!" Justin and his cohorts made way for the student council room, with intent to do plenty of harm.

_Oy…_ Atsushi didn't like the rampant disorder about the room. He quickly thought of a way to quell the rowdy club. "I can try to convince Kinshiro to not dissolve the club. I don't know if he'll listen to me, but it can't hurt to try."

"That's actually the most plausible course of action," Yumoto commented as Heywood and company retook their seats. "You've been friends with Kusatsu-sempai for a long time. Yes, go ahead and do that. If that fails, we'll come up with another strategy."

"Then I better get going right away." Atsushi rose for the door. Not long after he left the classroom, he heard sophisticated conversation from three meters away.

"Are we going to that mixer today?" A cool voice sounded.

"Maybe," a more pompous voice replied. "But only if we can get the budget for this semester sorted out."

"That's going to be hard to do without a treasurer."

"I guess we'll have to manage, Ibushi."

"Oh…" Atsushi made uneasy eye contact with his longtime friend, Kinshiro. "Hi, there."

For some reason, Kinshiro felt unnerved and angered by such prolonged eye contact. Barely subduing a growl, he asked, "What do you need?"

"Can I have a word with you… in private?"

"Sure." Kinshiro reluctantly complied. "Make it fast, though."

Atsushi knew that only the Chikyuubouei-bu meeting room could provide him with the privacy he needed. When he took Kinshiro thence, he went straight to the point. "Is it true that you haven't approved Binan High's Gay-Straight Alliance?"

"Wait… What?" Kinshiro sounded so dazed as to seem stupid.

"Not only that, but Akoya told the GSA's president that you're threatening to disband the club."

"There's a GSA in this school?"

"Yes, and I'm its vice president."

"You're involved with a group like that…" Kinshiro voiced a hint of happiness – something that Atsushi didn't expect from his friend. "Do you want to tell me how?"

Atsushi really didn't want his "secret" to spread very far, especially to the prominent student council. Yet to him, Kinshiro was a person to trust. "I recently came out to my sister, and she wasn't very accepting of me. I hope to help other people in my position."

"You're gay, huh…" Kinshiro's focus wandered to the bookshelf, filled with Ryuu's dirty magazines and Yumoto's yaoi manga. "Does that mean that… I possibly have a cha-"

"A cha...?"

"Oh!" Kinshiro returned his focus to Atsushi, realizing the idiocy of his word choice. "A-cha… A-CHOO!"

"Bless you."

"Thanks." Kinshiro felt grateful that his friend was dumb enough to fall for his trick. As he began to leave the Chikyuubouei-bu room, he continued, "Anyway, I hereby give this school's Gay-Straight Alliance my stamp of approval. I need to knock some sense into Akoya later for saying something so absurd."

"Thank you… Thank you very much." Atsushi couldn't believe how easy Kinshiro was to persuade. For all that talk of Kinshiro being more stubborn than an ox, Atsushi now wondered what could have swayed Kinshiro's mind so easily. The student council president appeared thrilled to learn of Atsushi's homosexuality, but could that really be the reason? Why would that excite him in the first place?

"Kinshiro…" Atsushi couldn't let the matter go. "Why were you so quick to accept the GSA?"

"Yeah… About that…" Kinshiro seemed hesitant to provide his reason, but felt prepared to do so anyway. "Atsushi, I-"

Before Kinshiro could utter another word, the Lovracelet alert from Atsushi's wrist went off.

"What was that, Atsushi?"

"Nothing!" Atsushi instantly hid his wrist behind his back. "Just my phone. It's a veeeeery important call, so I must be off right away."

"But don't you want me to tell you-"

"Another time, maybe?" Atsushi wished that Kinshiro would stop talking. "Bye!"

_I guess…_ Kinshiro took a sorrowful glance in Atsushi's direction, _I'm going to have to wait my turn._

Meanwhile, Epinard searched far and wide, disappointed that he could find neither Battle Lovers nor monsters. A mess of arrows were scattered in front of the media center while broken swords jutted from the courtyard grass. _Did a medieval battle take place or something?_

"Epinard!" Scarlet shouted, with a broken spear in his hand. "Look at this!"

"What on Earth could this mean?" Epinard wondered.

"Perhaps the monster in question is related to weaponry," Sulfur suggested.

"Not exactly," Wombat interjected. "There are far too many weapons here; there's no way a single monster could have caused it all."

"That can only mean that someone must have defeated the monsters before we could," Cerulean thought aloud. "Good thing, too, because there's no way we could have taken on all of those monsters by ourselves."

"Precisely." Wombat pouted at the blood and scattered weapons. "Still, for the enemy and our new allies to use such violence… You Battle Lovers have a lot of work to do. There is not enough love in the world."

"That was all for nothing, then…" Epinard sighed.

"Well, I'll be off." Vesta decided to take his leave sooner than the others. "I'm on another date."

As Vesta and his comrades reverted to normal form, Io mumbled in sadness, "Another one… Why can't I…"

"What?" Ryuu stopped.

"Nothing!" Io urged Ryuu to leave as fast as he can. "You run along on that date! I… I got to… um… check the stock market again."

"That friend of mine has been acting very bizarre lately…" Ryuu continued on his route.

As he and Atsushi were the only ones who lingered in the courtyard, En pondered, "Part of me wants to ask Io what's wrong, but… There are probably some things that we're better off not knowing."

"I concur." Atsushi took note of the time on the clock tower. "Damn! I'm supposed to be home in 10 minutes. Onee-san isn't at home, so I'm supposed to cook dinner for the family tonight. She'll have my head if I don't make dinner."

"What are you making?"

"Fairly simple stuff. _Spanakopita_ and _souvlaki_, mainly."

"You've been cooking Greek food almost every day. How about I help you so Noriko doesn't chew you out again?"

"You really mean that?"

"Of course." En beckoned for Atsushi to follow him to his car. "Anything for you."

"En-chan, you are simply the best boyfriend ever!" Atsushi glomped the other teen. To his fortune, traffic did not impede his ability to arrive home at a respectable time. The couple did not bother to take their handbags in the house, for they were eager to start cooking their first meal together. "Luckily, I started marinating the meat before I left for school. It should be very well-seasoned."

"Then I'll get started on cooking the _souvlaki_. In the meantime, get me the ingredients for the _spanakopita_. I trust you know what we need?"

"Of course!" Atsushi rummaged through the fridge and retrieved the required items. "Scallions, parsley, feta, butter, phyllo dough, and spinach."

"Spinach…" En snickered as he began to grill the meat. "Heh, heh."

"What's so funny about spinach?"

"Do you know what the French word for 'spinach' is?"

"No."

"It's _épinard._"

"Oh, for the love of…" Atsushi smiled, amused by his boyfriend's juvenile joke.

"Now you know how Wombat gave you your Battle Lover name. He named you after his favourite food."

"You're funny!" Atsushi laughed as he prepared Greek salad.

After the entire dinner had been made, and the table set up for dinner, Atsushi stood back, proud of what he created with his boyfriend. "They should be home any minute. I'm sure the food will still be fresh when they get back."

"True, true." En pulled his music player from his blazer. "In the meantime, why don't we dance?"

"Come again?"

"This song is one of my favourites." En set the music player and its upbeat dance song on the dinner table. "It's from an ancient Greek-themed video game."

"Come on, En-chan, you know I don't know how to dance…"

"You're going to dance with me, and that's final!" En giggled as he took Atsushi's arms into his own.

"Oh!"

"See? Isn't this fun?"

"Yes, yes it is!" Atsushi, now feeling no shyness, let En guide him to the music.

As he held Atsushi so close to him, En could tell for the first time how incredibly slender his boyfriend was. "Hey, Atsushi, are you eating properly? Your waist is really thin."

"My waist is thin… You think so? Maybe if you came over more often to help me cook, then you can be certain that I will eat properly."

"If me coming over is what it takes, then I'll gladly oblige." En nestled his face into Atsushi's shoulder, taking in the pleasant fragrance and beautiful face. "Come to think of it, you look just like one of the villains in that video game."

"Why, thanks. I'm honoured to be one of the bad guys."

"He eventually becomes a good guy, though, and makes a great sacrifice for the main protagonist."

"Then I'm proud to be just like him," Atsushi began as En twirled him around, "because you know I'd make great sacrifices for you any day."

"Same to you." En grinned, drawing Atsushi in for a kiss. They did not notice when the front door suddenly opened, revealing four relatives of Atsushi's.

"Atsushi!" Noriko hollered. "We're starving! Is dinner… almost… Oh, wow…"

"Yoicks!" Atsushi jumped, but En held him still, not flinching at all.

"What are you doing here, En?" Hiroshi asked.

"I helped your brother-in-law make dinner," En answered. "We finished a mere 10 minutes ago."

"Thanks a bunch!"

"This song…" Noriko took notice of the video game song. "It's Greek, isn't it?"

"Yes," En replied.

"You have Greek music on your music player, and you've helped make Greek food… That's pretty remarkable."

"Well, I am of Greek heritage. So, naturally, I know these things."

"What?" Noriko sounded overjoyed. "How did I not know this?"

"You never asked."

"But if I had known… You have no idea how glad I am that my brother knows a Greek person! Thanks for coming by." Noriko unexpectedly gave En a big hug.

"You're welcome…?" En wasn't sure if he wanted to hug Noriko back.

"So does that mean you're accepting of my relationship with En-chan?" Atsushi asked with anticipation.

"Hmm… The notion of my little brother being in a relationship with a Greek person… Interesting… If only En were a girl, though. This is going to take me a while."

As Noriko left for the restroom to wash her hands, En remarked, "But I'm only one-quarter Greek…"

"It doesn't matter," Atsushi whispered. "The point is that you having Greek blood has softened her stance a bit."

"All right!" A third person proceeded towards the kitchen sink. "I'm ready to eat!"

"Hey…" Atsushi recognized the voice. "Is that you, Dad?"

"Atsushi!" A woman hugged Atsushi.

"And Mom! What are you guys doing here?"

"We're just visiting the area," Mrs. Kinugawa answered, "…and to get away from that insufferable brother of mine."

"What happened?"

"He yelled at me again because he saw me on a date with your father. I thought he was really going to read me the Riot Act."

"Would you mind filling me in?" En asked quietly.

"The reason Mom and Dad are divorced is because my uncle is really against their relationship. Their families are in a huge financial dispute. They really didn't want to divorce, but they thought that doing so would placate their families – and it's worked, for the most part. My uncle was the one who suggested that Onee-san and her husband become my legal guardians."

"That's…" En looked at Atsushi's parents with sorrow. "That's awful…"

"En!" Mr. Kinugawa acknowledged En's presence. "It's been a while! How have you been?"

"Excellent, sir." En bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you again."

"You're particularly formal. Any reason why?"

"It's only proper form that I'm respectful towards the parents of my boyfriend."

"Oh, you're in that kind of a relationship with Atsushi now…" Mrs. Kinugawa spoke absentmindedly.

"…You don't mind?" Atsushi hoped that his parents would react violently like Noriko did.

Mr. Kinugawa shrugged. "Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about my own son being gay. I suppose if it makes you happy…"

"Thanks." Atsushi hugged his parents. "I knew Onee-san would be wrong. She thought that you guys were going to disown me."

"That's ridiculous!" Mrs. Kinugawa exclaimed. "First and foremost, you are our son, and we love you very much. Nothing is going to change that."

"You…" Atsushi began to cry. "You have no idea how thankful I am for that…"

As Atsushi shared a loving moment with his parents, En thought it best if he left and made way for the front door.

"No, En-chan, stay here." Atsushi insisted. "Now's a good a time as any for you to share dinner with us."

"You don't mind, Mr. and Mrs. Kinugawa?"

"Not at all!" Mr. Kinugawa answered. "Not only did you work really hard to help make dinner, but we also would like to get to know you better. We'll be sure to talk to Noriko later, we promise."

"Thank you so much, Mom and Dad!" exclaimed Atsushi. "Now… Now I have really have hope that Onee-san will accept me for who I am."


	8. No Secrets

Chapter 8 – No Secrets

"Argh!" Ryuu angrily kicked the Chikyuubouei-bu meeting desk. "I'm so bored! There have been no monsters lately!"

"Why don't you do something useful for once and study?" Io advised.

"Ain't nobody got time for that. I could be going on a date or something."

"Then you've got no right to complain when you have to repeat a grade due to your lack of academic performance."

"Oh, please!" Ryuu lightly flicked Io on the head. "At least I have a social life, unlike you. So, please, someone entertain me with interesting things."

"Professor Peeness gave the most intriguing lecture on stocks and bonds." Io smiled as he spoke.

"I said something interesting." Ryuu's response reversed Io's smile.

"Well…" Atsushi started. "Kinshiro just approved of the GSA."

"What did you say?!" The other Battle Lovers exclaimed in chorus.

"That's great!" Yumoto spoke with glee.

"Yeah, but… Before I could ask him what persuaded him to do it, we got that false alarm from the Lovracelets."

"Now we don't have to worry about Heywood and company tearing the student council to shreds." Io sounded optimistic. "But why was Kinshiro so easy to persuade?"

"That's what I've been saying! If it weren't for this false alarm, I would have found out."

"Wait, wait, wait…" Ryuu attempted to halt the current conversation. "Let me get this straight. There's a Gay-Straight Alliance on campus, and you're all a part of it?"

"I can't believe you had no idea." En shook his head. "I'm the secretary, Yumoto's the president, Atsushi's the VP, and Io's the treasurer. We just need a sergeant-at-arms."

"Well, I ain't going to be the one to do it, that's for sure. I don't have the time to deal with a bunch of queers."

"…That's very rotten of you, Ryuu." Io turned away from the group to hide his very sad expression.

"What's gotten into you?" Ryuu questioned. "I don't understand why you're involved with the club, let alone as an officer."

"Ryuu…" Io turned back, barely managing to make eye contact with his best friend. "I… You… I mean, I really…"

"I don't see what's wrong with helping sexual minorities become accepted at this school," Yumoto interrupted. "If you were one of them, you'd think the same thing."

"I'm not surprised at you. I could tell from your behaviour at the pretty boy contest meeting that you were gay. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am off to use the restroom."

When Ryuu had departed the meeting room, Atsushi told everyone, "Great news – we got Onee-san to show a softer stance."

"Aw, that's great!" Yumoto exclaimed. "I'm happy for you guys."

"It was a remarkably easy thing to do, too, once Noriko found out that I was one-quarter Greek."

"You're Greek, Yufuin-sempai?" Io cut in.

"I'm surprised at how many people don't know that."

"I thought I'd never meet someone who would share that heritage with me. My mother is 100% Greek."

"_Yassou!_" En gave the informal greeting.

"Say, since nobody here can understand us," Io started the conversation in Greek, "why don't we say something incredibly stupid?"

"Oh, I agree," En replied in the same language. "Yumoto is such an imbecile. I mean, how many people do you know are dumb enough to intentionally eat the mold off of bread?"

"That's nothing compared to him stealing my toothbrush! He's the biggest buttmunch in the school; I am certain he was the one who did it." Io remarked as he and En shared a hearty laugh.

"Would you mind talking in a language we can all understand?" Yumoto, annoyed from feeling left out, intervened.

"Heh, sorry. At least you've made me forget certain… things."

"Oh, that reminds me." En finally decided to act on his curiosity. "Io… I hate to bug you, but… I have to ask you something. Why has Ryuu been upsetting you lately?"

"Okay…" Io took a deep breath. "I think I can tell you guys. One main reason that I'm so involved with the GSA is that I, too, am gay. The man I'm in love with is a real homophobe. I don't think I have a snowball's chance in hell with him… Honestly, my love is destined to be unrequited forever."

"Oh…" Yumoto patted his _sempai_ on the back. "I'm very sorry to hear that. And don't say that about yourself! You won't know anything until you try!"

"I'm not saying it to gain anyone's pity. It's the truth. To make matters worse…" Io sniffed. "…the guy I'm in love with is Ryuu."

"Oh, honey…" Yumoto shed tears of his own. "So that's why Zaou-sempai's attitude has been bugging you lately."

"Someone needs a hug," En offered while Atsushi and Yumoto joined in.

"Thanks, guys." Io grinned, feeling better from his friends' consolation. "I'm just… I mean, I really want to tell him about my feelings for him. But what if he hates me for it? What if he refuses to be friends with me any longer?"

"Io, I'll tell you right now that I used to be in your position," Atsushi spoke with sympathy. "I used to think the same way about En-chan. But now, look at where we are."

"What is the meaning of this?" Wombat exclaimed. "Not only are 4/5 of the Battle Lovers gay, but two of them are boyfriends?"

"I don't see why that would be a problem." En gave his boyfriend a kiss on the cheek. "You were the one who said that the world needs to be filled with love. We're just doing our part."

"I mean… it isn't a problem. I'm just shocked, that's all."

"Sorry for taking so long!" Ryuu returned to Chikyuubouei-bu. "I couldn't help but overhear your very loud conversation on my way back. All I heard was something about 'doing our part,' though."

"Uh…" Io stammered. He felt that if he didn't let out his thoughts now, he would implode. "Ryuu, I… I am really in lo-"

"Hey, there goes the Lovracelet alert," Yumoto announced.

"So it is…" Io sighed. "Oh, well. Let's get going…"

"Naruko-sempai…" Yumoto whispered to Io. "Don't worry. You'll get the chance to tell him; trust me."

After the Battle Lovers transformed, a blaring _boom_ sounded from the courtyard, followed by a loud _clang_ of metal bars.

"At least we don't have to travel very far to find the enemy." Cerulean let out a grateful yawn. "I'm too tired to travel very far today."

"It's absolutely hideous…" Epinard grimaced. "And it's threatening the other students."

"I'm going to tell everyone in this school about your dirty little secret!" The monster, with its dark cape and body made of crowbars, threatened. "There's nothing you can do to stop me!"

"Please, don't!" the student pleaded. "If everyone finds out, I'll be in so much trouble!"

"Too bad!" The Crowbar Monster cackled. "That's what you get for being a queer!"

"He's trying to out every gay student in the school…" Sulfur growled loudly. "This is simply disgusting; I'm not going to let you attack my brethren! Added Margin Bomber!"

"Yeowch!" The Crowbar Monster directed his attention to Sulfur. "You're gonna pay for that, you homo!"

"This is quite an odd mission," Wombat pondered as he watched the Battle Lovers fight the Crowbar Monster. "Defeating a monster that's going to expose every gay student at this school… Still, it _is_ part of filling the world with love, so I cannot protest."

"Take this!" Scarlet ran at the Crowbar Monster at full charge.

"Hey, I know you!" The Crowbar Monster, with his powerful grip on Scarlet's throat, brought the Sparkling Prince to a halt. "You're that queer who's been flaunting his homosexuality all across campus!"

"Ack!" Scarlet struggled for breath.

"Let me show you," the Crowbar Monster began as he emitted a sweet-smelling gas from his hand, "what I do to your ilk!"

"Ugh…" Scarlet felt heavy eyelids. Try as he might, he could not maintain consciousness for long and collapsed to the cold ground, nearly lifeless.

"How dare you?" Epinard shot an irate Something-Or-Other Storm at the Crowbar Monster - a shot that, much to Epinard's chagrin, proved to be ineffective.

"Damn it all…" Sulfur grumbled. "How the hell are we supposed to defeat the monster without Scarlet?"

"Fight with it until it gives up?" Vesta offered halfheartedly. _God, that was a stupid suggestion…_

"That's the only option we have, then." Taking his comrade's advice, Sulfur joined Epinard in the fight.

"I agree. I don't want to see Epinard - or anyone else at this school, for that matter – get hurt." Cerulean concurred.

"I was only kidding… I suddenly feel like the smartest person in this club."

"My armour of crowbars will render your attacks useless!" The Crowbar Monster whacked Sulfur and Vesta hard between the shoulder blades. "You're all done for!"

"Are we, now?" Vesta put every effort into getting up. "I Am Awesome Fire!"

"You don't listen, do you? I'm going to expose every queer on this campus!" The Crowbar Monster incapacitated Epinard with a strike to the chest. "Down with every last one of you!

"Epinard!" Cerulean motioned towards his boyfriend, but instead his face met a giant crowbar.

"Not one step further," the Crowbar Monster warned.

_This…_ Cerulean looked at his debilitated, barely conscious allies in worry. _I can't do this all by myself… But for the sake of Atsushi… for the sake of every gay student on this campus, I've got to try._

"You must be one of them, too, huh?" The Crowbar Monster taunted.

The monster's stern attitude inspired an idea in Cerulean. Helping Epinard on his feet, he began, "Tell me, Crowbar Monster, what do you hate more than anything else in the world?"

"Why, all homos, of course!"

"Would seeing a little male-on-male action piss you off, then?" Cerulean spoke with a smirk as he held Epinard's chin.

"Where are you getting at?"

Ignoring the Crowbar Monster's concerns, Cerulean shamelessly kissed the Piercing Prince. To further provoke the monster, Cerulean did everything he could to make the kiss seem as sensual as possible.

"Holy…" Vesta readily sat up, gaping at the sight before him.

"Argh!" The Crowbar Monster cowered in horror. "Don't show me that!"

"I knew this would work." With a wink, Cerulean encouraged his comrades to arise. "Guys, now!"

"Right…" Vesta, still awestruck, readied his Love Stick with an I Am Awesome Fire attack. With the help of the other Battle Lovers, he managed to defeat the Crowbar Monster and restore it to normal form.

"Uy…" Yumoto, who had reverted during the Crowbar Monster fight, came to. "Ah! Why did I transform back? What about the Crowbar Monster? We've got to-"

"Yumoto, calm down. The Crowbar Monster is defeated," Io assured. "Yufuin-sempai and Kinugawa-sempai used the power of yaoi to do it."

"Pfft…" Yumoto snickered. "The power of yaoi. I wish I could have seen it."

"Come, now…" Atsushi felt embarrassed. "Without you and Ryuu, we couldn't have done it."

"I can't believe this…" Ryuu thought aloud. "Yufuin-sempai, Kinugawa-sempai, you…"

"Something wrong?" Io asked.

"All of my fellow Chikyuubouei-bu members are gay, and two of them are boyfriends. I can't believe that you are gay, too, Io."

"…"

"Well, I knew that Yufuin-sempai and Kinugawa-sempai were always very gray. Er, I mean, gay."

"I think..." Io made way for the Kurotama Bathhouse, longing for warmth from the cold weather, "that I've had enough for one day."

"What the heck did he mean, 'I've had enough for one day?'" Ryuu questioned, dumbfounded. "Guys, do you know anything?"

"We do, but..." Atsushi started, "Io would have our heads if we told you."

"That's right," Yumoto cut in. "He'll tell you when he's ready."

"Whenever that will be…"

_Those guys…_ Io, who beat his friends to Kurotama by well over an hour, looked back. An icy flurry hit his face, intensifying his heavy heart. _They really are a handful. It doesn't help me at all that Ryuu is, too. If only he wasn't so dense and popular with women, then I might be able to… Stars above, I really don't know how much longer I can keep these feelings of mine a secret from him._


	9. Icy Flurry

Chapter 9 – Icy Flurry

The icy flurry of last night reminded me of how painful keeping a secret could become. Knowing that I could not last much longer without making my feelings known to Ryuu, I decided to consult with the only openly gay student on campus during GSA.

"Yumoto, I've been thinking… Ryuu's behaviour last night was the final straw. I've decided that today, I am going to profess my feelings to him."

"That's great!"

"What's not so great is the fact that I'm too fearful to do so. Furthermore, he's had plenty of dates with Efyu girls this whole week. I'm going to be hard pressed to find not only an opportunity, but also the right words."

"It's like I told Kinugawa-sempai. As long as you pour your heart out, I'm sure your feelings will get through to him."

"I trust you, then. You must give a lot of romantic advice to gay guys. You're like the 'Gay Whisperer' or something."

"Oh, come now. Well, I did give advice on date attire to Heywood the other day. And Justin told me that his now-boyfriend felt thrilled at the present I suggested."

"See, you're a genius!" I gave Yumoto a congratulatory pat on the back. "Too bad your romantic acuity won't translate into better test scores."

"Wouldn't it be cool if it could? Or maybe I could start a business about it! That way, I can get rich like you and help you win Ryuu over."

"Yumoto, you're far too kind. You know, I'm sorry for demeaning you yesterday. It was wrong of me to make fun of your stupidity."

"What are you talking about?"

"The conversation Yufuin-sempai and I were having in Greek was about you. He pointed out how stupid you were to intentionally eat bread mold. Also, I forgive you for using my toothbrush that one time."

"Meep!"

"I know it was you." I flicked my wrists at Yumoto to incite him to play-fight with me. "Don't hide it."

"Hahaha! I can't believe it took you this long to figure it out!"

"Did someone say 'Gay Whisperer?'" asked a student that had just entered the meeting room and took the seat nearest Yumoto.

"Yep, that's me!" Yumoto announced proudly. "Hakone Yumoto, the Gay Whisperer, at your service."

"So, I take this means you approve of us, now?" Heywood asked the student. "Kusatsu-sempai."

"Do you care to tell us why?" Justin inquired.

"Yes, I do care," Kusatsu-sempai replied, almost angrily.

"Well, feel free to stay as long as you like," Yumoto offered to Kusatsu-sempai. "Anyway, did you want to talk to me about something?"

"I heard that you're an expert in dealing romantic advice to gay guys. Would you mind helping out a guy in need?"

"What is the meaning of this?" Yumoto almost shouted.

"Shush!" Kusatsu-sempai covered Yumoto's mouth, stirring the interest of the other students. "Do you have any idea what a shitstorm the news that the student council president is gay could create?"

"Oh… Okay. So, what do you need?"

"There's this guy I really like, but I don't know how to confess to him. I did just find out that he's gay, which is reassuring, but… There's something about confessing to a longtime friend that unnerves me."

"Aww…" Yumoto squealed quietly. "That's just adorable! Anyway, I recommend inviting him to one of GSA's parties. You can ask him to dance to a slow song. In fact, I'll pick out a special one just for you."

"Oh, thank you!" Kusatsu-sempai showed such happiness quite uncharacteristic of the student council president.

"Anytime!" Yumoto gave Kusatsu-sempai a fist bump. It was obvious from his enthusiasm that not only was he excited to help Kusatsu-sempai, but also that he found the student council president quite charming.

"I hate to interrupt your fun little conversation," Kurotori-sensei cut in. "But we need to get started with the meeting. First off, let's discuss the recent party."

"We had really great turnout," Yufuin-sempai commented. "Not only from the student body, but also from national LGBT organizations."

"People that have gone to our shop have mentioned seeing vendors from the party," I added. "So, it's very profitable."

"Can we all agree, then, that we should have another party?" Yumoto asked.

"Oh, absolutely," Heywood concurred. "Not only that, but that last one was a blast."

"Fortunately for us, it didn't cut into midterms," Kinugawa-sempai spoke. "If it did, I wouldn't have gotten that perfect score on Professor Buhtalks' test."

"You big nerd." Justin reached over the desk to give Kinugawa-sempai noogies.

"Careful, Justin," Heywood cautioned. "You don't want to mess with Yufuin-sempai's boyfriend."

"I better stop, then, haha." Justin took notice of Yufuin-sempai's half-serious glare.

"Any other topics that we want to discuss?" Kurotori-sensei asked.

"Yes, sir. Kinugawa-sempai has just told me that the student council-"

Before Yumoto could say anymore, the door flew open, and an exasperated voice sounded from it. "Dang it, I could have sworn I left that freakin' stapler in this room! I'm so sick and tired of looking for- Oh, hey there, Io."

"Ryuu, you dunderhead!" I tossed the requested item at Ryuu. "Here's your bloody stapler. I swear you'd forget your head if it weren't attached."

"Thanks a bunch! Now I can fix my dirty magazines. Pages have been falling out lately, and it's driving me mad."

"Hmph!" Heywood didn't enjoy Ryuu's presence. "And straight people say that we gays flaunt our lifestyles!"

"Come now, don't talk to him like that!" I scolded. "He's a dear friend of mine!"

"Oh, a dear friend, hmm?" Justin sounded curious. "How dear?"

"He's… He's, um…" This was a golden opportunity to tell not only Ryuu but also the entire GSA just what Ryuu meant to me. So why couldn't I say it out loud?

"Not very, then," Heywood scoffed.

"Dear enough to shut you up, maybe." Justin's remark made me feel very foolish.

"Io, don't tell me… Is this the meeting room for that GSA you've been talking about so much?"

"Well, yeah. You didn't notice the rainbow flag decal on the door?"

"So, that's what the rainbow flag stands for!" Ryuu showed obvious disdain in his tone. "If I had known that, I would have stayed the hell away from this room. I would have walked 1000 meters to find a new stapler if it meant avoiding this place."

"Come off it, dickwad!" Heywood hurled a shoe at Ryuu, as others copied him.

"Ack!" Ryuu barely dodged the shoes. "All right, all right, I'm leaving. Good God, you gays are so violent."

"Good fucking riddance…" Justin snarled.

"That was highly uncalled for!" I chided when Ryuu had left. "Is that the impression of the LGBT community you want to leave on the rest of the student body?"

"Yoicks…" Heywood began to display regret. "Since you put it that way…"

"I think I need to take my leave of you guys," I declared, swiftly packing my things. "You can call me when you've cooled your emotions."

As the door closed behind me, I bolted for Chikyuubouei-bu, disgusted at what my fellow club members have done. What were they thinking, treating someone like that? I knew that it would take me a very, very long time to forgive them for treating Ryuu with such scorn – for only deepening the hatred of the man I love.

Now I knew there was no way in hell I could confess to him. If the expressions that he's displayed about the LGBT community were true to his feelings, then my confession would only create a rift in our friendship. Even though it wasn't the same as being his one true love, our friendship was the dearest thing to me.

Yet I could not bear the thought of keeping my feelings internal. If I did, then someone, some bitch would take Ryuu from me, and I would be more unimportant than wet paper. Regardless of what I did, I knew the end result would tear my heart asunder.

Upon arriving at Chikyuubouei-bu, I was relieved to not see the Three Stooges nor Ryuu there. If they saw me crying, bawling as I did now, I would surely be ridiculed for a long time. I cried loudly, thankful that the seclusion of Chikyuubouei-bu from the rest of the school would muffle my cries. At least, that's what I thought, until…

"Io!" Ryuu emerged from the Chikyuubouei-bu restroom. "There you are! Hey, man, why are you crying?"

Shit! I couldn't afford to let Ryuu see me cry, and I let it happen anyway. Knowing that attempting to hide my tears was futile, I simply wanted to bury my face into the desk and continue to wail. When I stooped my head, I did not hit the desk, but instead a comfortable shoulder.

"Io, calm down. Whatever it is you've got on your mind, you know you can tell me. We're best friends, are we not?"

That shoulder felt so comfy that I wanted to rest it there for an eternity. I felt tempted to keep my head there, I really did…

Instead, I made the coward's choice to run away.

"Io, wait up!" Ryuu chased after me. He must have been endurance training lately, because he was catching up to me a lot faster than before. "Hey!"

"Leave me be!" I begged, nearly slipping on the floor before I made my way to a nearby garden. Much to my misfortune, I took the path directly opposite to my intended path. I did not want to perturb the calendulas and arbutus decorating the lawn, nor did I want to ruffle the well-kept lawn itself. My only option, then, was to let Ryuu stop me and see what an emotional mess I've become.

"All right, that does it! You need to tell me what's been up with you!" Ryuu demanded. "After every battle, you just walk away from me without a word! I'm telling you right now that I am having none of it."

"Ryuu, trust me, you don't want to know." I stared at the calendulas at my feet. "You would surely hate me if I told you."

"No, I wouldn't! We're too close friends for something so petty to get in the way!"

"That's the thing!" I faced my beloved, but did not look him in the eye. "You keep on saying, 'We're close friends' and whatnot! A friend is all I am to you, aren't I?"

"Well, what more do you want me to be to you?"

"Ryuu…" I started another crying fit, spurring the beginnings of a headache. "Please don't make me do this horrible thing…"

"It's not horrible! I don't care what is!"

"All right!" I decided that if the end result of my decision was going to be hurtful regardless, I would use that decision to mollify Ryuu a little. "I love you! I'm in love with you, okay?"

I knew without looking at Ryuu that he would be very disturbed by this news. The hazel eyes revealed a lot more grave emotion that I had thought. "Io… You don't really mean that, do you?"

"I do, Ryuu. You have no idea how much I love you."

"This is…" Ryuu struggled to find proper words. After a painfully long silence, he took a deep breath and spoke in a serious tone, "I'm sorry, Io, but I can't accept those kinds of feelings from you – or any male, for that matter."

"Ryuu…"

"You know I'm not attracted to men that way."

"But… But you said-"

"I know, I know. But how can you expect me to return your feelings? Don't get me wrong, you are one of my dearest friends, and I don't know where I'd be without you. But this… This is too much."

"Ryuu, I…" Nothing I could say to Ryuu could get him to say something more assuring, but all I could do was run my mouth. "Do you hate me now that not only am I a fag, but also because I have romantic feelings for you?"

"No, but I am very disturbed. Well, if you've got nothing else to say, I'll be leaving. If you'll excuse me."

As Ryuu turned his back to me, I reached a hand as if to stop him, yet I could suddenly say nothing. The icy flurry of silence would not allow me to do anything but sit there in a sea of calendulas, speechless. The fact that I knew Ryuu would reject my confession did not stop my massive headache nor my desire to lie there and reel in melancholy. If I ever had to see him again, if I ever had to deal with the icy flurry of that stare again, then I would surely implode.


	10. Wishing Stars

Chapter 10 – Wishing Stars

"Atsushi." Kinshiro confronted the salutatorian. Classes had just ended, and Atsushi motioned towards the Chikyuubouei-bu meeting room. "There's a GSA party tomorrow. Seeing as how you're the vice president, I imagine that you are going."

"I can't, actually. En-chan is down with a really bad cold virus, and his family isn't home to attend to him. So, they've asked me to take care of him."

"That's…" Kinshiro spoke with sadness, "That's too bad."

"Please understand, Kinshiro. I really would like to go, but-"

"Oh, you're going all right," Akoya, who had been listening to the conversation from afar, cut in.

"No, I'm not. Didn't you hear me talking about En-chan?"

"Yufuin's family just told us that he's going to be cared for in the school infirmary," Ibushi added. "You've got nothing to worry about."

"B-But…"

"Kinugawa-sempai." Akoya stared at Atsushi, getting uncomfortably close, and whispered, "Your boyfriend is going to be okay. Please trust us."

"Meep!" Atsushi, in an attempt to prevent Akoya from saying more revealing things, held two hands over the secretary's mouth. "I'm not out yet, so I would appreciate it that you keep that a secret. Especially from Kinshiro. How the heck did you find that out, anyway?"

"We gays can identify each other easily," Akoya replied with a wink, still mindful of his voice volume. "Plus, I've been watching you guys canoodling during GSA meetings."

"You're something else, aren't you?" Atsushi backed off a little. "At any rate, I trust you guys. By the way, thanks for attending our GSA meetings. Are you coming to the party?"

"You bet!" Akoya displayed a thumbs-up with pride. "I've got a date, too."

"Really? And who might it be?"

"It's a secret." Akoya mischievously brought his finger to his lips. "Well, we better get going. We've got more student council business to take care of."

"You hypocrite." Atsushi watched the student council take their leave. "A nosy person who wants to keep secrets. Go figure."

Upon arrival at the student council meeting room, where no other students were within earshot, Kinshiro decided that he found Akoya's tendency to keep secrets annoying. "Akoya, what in blazes were you talking to Atsushi about?"

"It's probably better if I don't tell you – I don't want him to give me hell for it later."

"Damn you…" Kinshiro sneered. "Damn you and your still tongue."

"Come now, calm yourself." Ibushi placed his hands on Kinshiro's shoulders. "Be thankful that we got Kinugawa to go to the party. You don't even know how hard it was just to get Mrs. Yufuin to let us near her son."

"I thank you for that…" Kinshiro stared out the window, wishing for the stars to come. "It should be a fun party, then."

As if to answer Kinshiro's wish, the sky granted the party many a gorgeous star. Inspired by the night's beauty and calm weather, he anxiously awaited the opportune moment to act on his feelings. Though the party thus far roared, he knew he would see his beloved among the rowdy crowd.

"And now, I welcome you to GSA's fabulous second party of the year!" Yumoto, with a mask and a red gown, broadcasted. "This is your emcee, Anita Phart! You all look great tonight!"

"We love you, Ms. Phart!" A group of students hailed Yumoto, even attempting to steal his red high heels.

"Now, now, boys." Io, in a tuxedo that somewhat resembled his Battle Lover uniform, restrained the students. "Ms. Phart is a person of high status. You don't want to rough up her wonderful clothes, do you?"

"Aww, you're no fun, Naruko-sempai," Dixie Normus whined.

"By the way, do you know where Yumoto went?" Heywood questioned. "I've tried looking for him everywhere, and no luck. You'd think that the president of the GSA would be present at his own party."

"Oh, he's around…" Io spoke sneakily. "This is a masquerade party, after all."

"I guess that's true, haha." Justin turned his attention to Yumoto. "At any rate, Ms. Phart, you're one of the finest drag queens I have ever heard of. You should audition for a drag competition; you'd surely win."

"I'm flattered, my dear. Of course, I could say the same for your significant other there."

"Thanks." Justin gave his boyfriend, dressed in a mask and black dress, a side hug.

Before Yumoto could add more compliments to the conversation, a rather lost Kinshiro wandering about the dance floor caught his eye. _I see that Kusatsu-sempai hasn't found his beloved yet. Poor guy. If this weren't a masquerade party, I'd totally be able to help him._

_I guess he's not showing after all…_ Kinshiro sighed, leaning against the wall next to the punch bowl. _Ibushi's and Akoya's efforts were for nothing, then. I don't suppose that that lazy buttmunch had anything to do with it? If that's the case, then I'll totally-_

"Kinshiro!" Ibushi called, having just entered the party with his date.

"Hey, there…" Kinshiro sounded apathetic. Looking at Ibushi's date, with a pink braid and white mermaid-style dress, he felt even more saddened. "You're lucky you've got someone with whom to dance, at least. She'd seriously compete with Anita Phart in the next drag queen competition. It's a shame Akoya isn't here to see her."

"Right…" The date displayed a somewhat impish smile. "My name's Shitona Sheengle. How do you do?"

"Pleased to meet you."

"What's wrong? You look sad."

"I'm just a bit jealous of you and Ibushi. I thought that the guy I like would show up to this party, but I haven't seen him at all."

"Don't worry your pretty head!" Ibushi assured. "I saw him by the ice cream bar. In fact…"

When Kinshiro looked in the specified direction, his eyes met a drag queen clad in a green dress adorned with emeralds. Despite the overall difficult handling of the dress, the drag queen carried her gown gracefully, not tripping despite her dark green heels.

_There's no doubt about it._ Kinshiro felt a blush come on as the drag queen approached him. _That's him, the man I love._

"Fancy meeting you here," the drag queen spoke, using a rather authentically female voice. "I'm Kirei Koibito. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."

"We've met before, though. You don't recognize me?"

"Hmm…" Kirei eyed Kinshiro carefully. "No, I don't think I do."

"I see…"

_Actually, I do,_ Kirei thought to herself. _But if I acknowledge you as someone whom I've known for a long time, then a certain boyfriend of mine would have a fit._

"I don't see you with anyone." Kinshiro, who never learned how to socialize properly, stumbled upon his words. "I… I don't suppose I could… I mean, if you like… Would you care to dance with me?"

"Oh, I don't…" Kirei, knowing that her boyfriend would not approve of her dancing with another guy, hesitated. After studying Kinshiro's yearning expression, however, she began to rethink her choice. _Poor Kinshiro… I don't know why the heck he'd want to dance with me, seeing as how I'm the dorkiest person on this campus. Still, I feel that refusing him would break his heart, for whatever reason that may be._ "Sure, why not?"

"That's great!" Kinshiro did not bother suppressing the smile now across his face.

_Hmm?_ Yumoto, who had been watching the pair from afar, looked at Kirei interestedly._ That must be the guy Kinshiro's in love with! I better keep my promise, then._

"Ooh, this is a good one." Justin tapped his foot in time with the music before taking his boyfriend by the hand. "It's a staple of parties that involve couples dancing with each other."

Despite seeing several couples take the dance floor, Kinshiro dawdled, feeling accomplished from exchanging a mere word with Kirei. It was not until he noticed Yumoto's anticipating gazed that he made a move.

_Kusatsu-sempai, don't ruin all the hard work that I've done!_ Yumoto appeared to convey with his eyes. _Come on, you can do it!_

Inspired by that gaze, Kinshiro offered a hand unto the drag queen, guiding her with the song and rather inexperienced dance moves. _Easier said than done, Yumoto. This is the first time I've ever danced with anyone._

As the pair danced gracefully, inciting the attentiveness of every student in the room, Yumoto contemplated the air of royalty Kinshiro seemed to exude. _One wouldn't think that someone that inexperienced in dancing could move so well. It's a shame, though. I would love to be the one being guided by those arms of Kusatsu-sempai's. He's rather… enchanting._

All of a sudden, as if to prevent Kinshiro from discovering his attraction, Yumoto swiftly hid behind the ice cream bar. _What the heck am I doing? I'm supposed to be helping Kusatsu-sempai with the man he loves. I don't have the time for this! There's just no way!_

"Thank you for that, Ms. Koibito." Kinshiro spoke as the dance song ended. "It was an honour."

"Same here." Kirei curtsied, making way for the punch bowl. "May you enjoy the rest of your night."

_That felt simply wonderful,_ Kinshiro contemplated, not moving an inch. _Maybe I do have a chance with him after all._

In the meantime, Yumoto still hid behind the ice cream bar, counting his lucky starts that Kinshiro turned in the other direction. He was shocked, then, when he heard footsteps from behind.

"You okay, Ms. Phart?" someone asked.

"It's nothing, Zaou-sempai. I'm just a little taken aback by Kusatsu-sempai's dance skills, that's all."

"He's just a big showoff, if you ask me." Ryuu felt his eye twitch as he watched Kinshiro. "I can say the same for the entire student council. There's no way that I would ever-"

The abrupt approach of a white-clad drag queen prevented Ryuu from uttering another word. Her beauty mystified Ryuu so much that the dunderhead truly believed her to be a cisgendered female.

"Yumoto, could you take your leave, please?" Ryuu asked. "There's… something I have to do."

"Oh, okay." Yumoto left while Ryuu approached the drag queen, not quite sure what to say to her. To his fortune, she noticed Ryuu faster than he thought.

"Hello there," greeted the drag queen. "They call me Shitona Sheengle. You're looking quite handsome tonight."

"Why, thank you. You're far more lovely than any woman I've ever met, and I've met many."

"Charmed." Shitona took a bowl of dark chocolate cherry ice cream and offered it unto Ryuu. "Would you care for some ice cream?"

"Unfortunately, I can't eat it," Ryuu admitted. "I'm lactose intolerant, and I left my lactase pills at home."

"That's too bad. I was hoping we could talk over some ice cream, for I really love it so." Shitona frowned as she left to find Ibushi.

_Damn it all!_ Ryuu began to throw a small fit. _The one time I forgot my lactase pills, I had the chance to flirt with a girl over ice cream. This is simply unfair. I guess I really-_

Ryuu did not expect for a certain yellow-clad person he knew to approach the salad bowl, a mere three meters away. _That's Io! I finally get to see him after he's been avoiding me for days. I wonder if it had anything to do with how I rejected him. If that's the case, then I feel utterly shameful for what I've done. I better tell him I'm sorry. _"Io… Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Crap!" Io exclaimed. "He spotted me."

"Wait!"

"You saw nothing," Io insisted. "What the heck are you doing here, anyway? I thought that you didn't have time to deal with a bunch of queers."

"Be that as it may, I…"

"Damn it, leave me be!" Io shouted in Greek, much to Ryuu's surprise. "I know you came here to make fun of me – don't deny it! Seeing you is just excruciating!"

"Come on, Io. Don't throw Greek insults at me – you know I can't understand you when you do that."

"That's exactly the point! Good day!" With that, Io stormed out of the party, stirring chaos throughout the room. Knowing instantly that Ryuu caused it all, the students simply stared at him in disgust.

_Io, please…_ Ryuu roosted on a nearby bench, now unable to look up, for he knew that he would only see dirty looks. _If I had the chance to apologize for the atrocity I visited unto you… I wish to the stars above that you would give me that chance._


	11. Unwavering Hope

Chapter 11 – Unwavering Hope

"Hooray, hooray, hooray!" Atsushi stopped just short of jumping around like a yaoi fangirl.

"What are you so happy about?" Yumoto asked.

Feeling comfortable talking about it with the absence of the other Chikyuubouei-bu members, Atsushi proclaimed, "I'm going on a date with En-chan!"

"Let me guess… at a really fancy Greek restaurant?"

"You really are the Gay Whisperer, aren't you?"

"People keep on calling me that… Have you been talking with Naruko-sempai?"

"Yeah. Thanks to him, you've just earned a reputation for being the most knowledgeable gay student at this school."

"Except I'm the only openly gay one, so it hardly counts."

"I do find that fact very problematic… Part of our mission is to help people feel more comfortable coming out, after all. I suppose that's something that we should discuss with Io when he-"

"Oh, speak of the devil," Yumoto spoke as his blonde _sempai_ entered the room.

"You're not looking well, Io. What's up?"

"Nothing, really…" Io's voice barely suggested signs of life. "Ryuu's not here, is he?"

"No," replied Yumoto. "He was here a few minutes ago, looking for you. But he gave up and left."

"I see… That's good. I would head for the hills if I saw him right now."

"How did things go with your confession?" Yumoto shook with anticipation. "Did he act all excited? Did you steal a kiss from him?"

Io's face contorted at such a ridiculous suggestion. "Far, far from it. Not only did he coldly reject me, but he also gave the suggestion that he has no attraction to men whatsoever. Ergo, my feelings will never be requited."

"I can't imagine the hell you must be going through…" Atsushi consoled. "I am very sorry."

"Don't be. You're going on that date; you shouldn't worry about a browbeaten person like me. At least this whole Ryuu situation hasn't impacted my grades or my stock market earnings. If it did, then I think I would go absolutely-"

"Naruko-sempai, stop it!" Yumoto's embrace quieted Io. "I'm not going to let you beat yourself up this way!"

"B-But Yumoto…" Io sniffed. "What should I do? I've never felt so much emotional distress in my entire life."

"I'm not exactly sure, in all honesty, but we're going to help you through this."

"I've got an idea! When I see En-chan again, I'll ask him for help. He's very trustworthy, so you've got nothing to worry about, Io."

"Thanks, guys." Io's tears became tears of joy. "I'm not going to give up hope on Ryuu. Otherwise, what would that say about the strength of my love for him?"

"Exactly!"

_My network of friends is very reassuring,_ Io thought as Chikyuubouei-bu adjourned for the day. _Yes, I have no doubt that the icy flurry will warm into a summer light._

As Io had predicted, the weather permitted a relaxing outing for Atsushi and En. Scents of various Greek dishes wafted throughout the outdoor dining area, enticing potential customers to spend their nights there. Atsushi enjoyed the _pastitsio_ he ordered and the red wine-like drink he ordered with it.

"So, that's why Io has been isolating himself from everyone." En took a sip of the wine-like drink. "I have to say, he's in a very precarious situation."

"What should we do? Even the Gay Whisperer Yumoto is at a loss for words."

"I'm sorry, the Gay Whisperer?"

"He's become the expert on giving gay guys romantic advice. You haven't heard?"

"No, but I'm glad now. Back to Io, though. What has he told or shown Ryuu, exactly?"

"All he did was confess to him. After that, Io's been avoiding Ryuu at every turn."

"There's the root of the problem. If he refuses to even speak to the man he loves, how can he get anything done? My suggestion is this: have Io show Ryuu a form of utmost devotion, so moving that Ryuu just can't say 'no.'"

"That's perfect!" Atsushi's voice stirred the curiosity of certain people he knew. "En-chan, you are too smart for your own good. I'm sure Io will-"

"Hey, Atsushi!" the familiar people called. "Fancy meeting you here!"

"That can't be…" Atsushi turned to see the face of his mother. "Mom! Dad! What are you doing here?"

"Noriko said that this place is great for dates. Ergo, the four of us are currently on a double date."

"Onee-san is here, too?"

"You bet I am!" Noriko showed her face, which showed slight disdain upon noticing En's presence. "What are you doing here – and with my little brother, no less?"

"You said that this place is great for dates," En replied coolly. "Ergo, the two of us are currently on a date."

"We'll be taking our leave now." Noriko motioned for the bar. "I'm sure the two of you don't want us homophobes raining on your parade."

"That's too bad," En spoke in Greek. "I was hoping to teach you a little bit about Greek food and language."

"What did you say?" Noriko, halting her route, expressed curiosity. "Wait, let me guess. Something about… Greek language… or something."

"You're mostly right. Do you know any of the language?"

"Eh…" Noriko attempted, "'The dictionary did not find any matching words?'" Sorry, that's the only meaningful sentence I know in Greek."

"If you like, I can come to your house any time and teach you."

"You mean it? That would be absolutely wonder- Wait a minute… You're just using that as an excuse to do kinky things to Atsushi, aren't you?"

"Oh…" En, humiliated by this suggestion, hid his face in his hands.

"Haha, just kidding." Noriko ruffled En's hair. "I'll gladly take you on your offer. Well, enjoy your date, because we have our own to enjoy!"

"That sister of mine…" Atsushi giggled as he continued his meal. Noticing his boyfriend's complete mortification, he tried to shake En awake. "En-chan, you okay?"

"I can't believe she'd suggest such lewd things…"

"Don't mind her. She likes playing vulgar jokes like that. Hey, I know what will make you feel better! Why don't I come to your house? It's been quite a long while, anyway."

"You really are my boyfriend, aren't you?" En smiled as he called for the waiter to bring him the check. "No matter what you do, you know exactly what can cheer me up."

The couple felt fortunate that they could barely avert the cold wind threatening to freeze the vicinity. The wave of warm air that greeted them at the Yufuin residence refreshed them, adding to their otherwise pleasant night.

"You know, my favourite part of winter is when it's over," Atsushi remarked. "This cold is unbearable."

Just then, En could hear an obnoxious shouting coming from the kitchen – a shouting he recognized as that of his mother. "I'll tell you what's even more unbearable – hearing my mother scream her head off in French. I can't speak that language, but I can understand every word she says. Sometimes, I really wish I didn't."

"You can't do that, Dad!" Mrs. Yufuin emerged from the kitchen, making way for the front door. "You've got to save money for your summer trip! No, you can't splurge on lottery tickets! Ugh, I'm done for the night. Have a good night."

"Are you all right, Mom?" En asked his mother in Greek.

"Your grandfather's been gambling again." Mrs. Yufuin shook her head. "At the rate he's going, he'll run out of his retirement money."

"Ouch…" En cringed. Atsushi had no idea what had just happened, but he could tell from that wince that something was wrong.

"Anyway, enough about my dunderhead of a father. You were really late for dinner, so Sachiko and I ate without you. All we have are some leftovers."

"That's okay." En seized Atsushi by the shoulders. "I went on a dinner date with my boyfriend."

"Hi there, Atsushi!" Mrs. Yufuin stumbled upon her words. "Um… You have good night, yes?"

"Of course. Your son is simply charming."

"I'm glad to hear that. Forgive me, though. I… I speak not good Japanese."

"It's not a problem! I can understand you just fine."

"Now as for you, En, your father will be coming home from work soon. Why don't you clean the house a little bit?"

"Yes, Mom." En obliged.

"Can I help, too?" Atsushi offered.

"That is good, but you guest. You no do anything – you stay and have good time." Reverting to Greek, Mrs. Yufuin hollered towards the stairwell, "Sachiko! Get over here and help your brother clean the house!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" An annoyed teenage girl voice descended the stairwell, growling in Japanese, "I was just getting to the best part of the episode, too… Hey, is that you, Atsushi-san?"

"Sachiko!" Atsushi greeted his boyfriend's little sister. "It's been years! You look like you're going to get taller than me."

"I wouldn't be surprised, haha." Sachiko gave Atsushi a hopeful look. "So, is it true that you're boyfriends with Onii-san now?"

"Yeah."

"Squee!" Sachiko frolicked about. "I got to meet my big brother's boyfriend today! Now I can enjoy all the yaoi to my heart's content."

"You really…" Atsushi wasn't sure what to make of Sachiko's odd behaviour, "are a big yaoi fan, aren't you?"

"You bet! I own just about every yaoi manga you can name, and I watch at least one hour of yaoi anime a day."

"Sachiko! Get your butt back to cleaning!" Mrs. Yufuin warned.

"Yoicks!" Sachiko scrambled for a duster. "Talk to you later, Atsushi-san."

When the kitchen diverted Mrs. Yufuin's attention again, Atsushi snuck to grab a broom and subtly swept the living room. As En had finished picking up trash and various objects, he now motioned for the broom, but Atsushi greeted him, "I can't believe your sister is such a big yaoi fan at the tender age of fourteen! I hope she doesn't get caught buying mature-rated yaoi manga, or she's in deep doo-doo."

"Atsushi, give me that broom."

"Why should I? I just swept the entire living room – you're welcome."

"Well, in that case… Sachiko! Did you get all the dusting and wiping done?"

"Yep!" Sachiko motioned for her room. "Now I can get back to that wonderful yaoi anime I've been watching."

"It appears we're done with our chores," En concluded. "Come, Atsushi, you must be very tired."

"You don't mind me sleeping over?"

"Not at all! Just don't tell Noriko, or she'll lose her shit. This way."

Before En could lead Atsushi to his room, an irritating racket sounded in the silence. The Lovracelet on his left wrist rang, intruding the romantic moment as quickly as it had formed.


	12. Putrid Smells

Chapter 12 – Putrid Smells

"I swear I'm going to knock some sense into Wombat," En grumbled. "These Lovracelet alerts are so inconvenient it's not even funny."

"It's not like it's his fault, En-chan. If you want to blame someone, blame the monsters and whoever's pulling their strings."

"So late at night, no less. There's no helping it, I suppose… Love Making!"

After the pair had transformed, Epinard hurried his way towards the front door, mindful of any obstacles that he encountered. "Unfortunately, it's still biting cold outside. It's so cold, in fact, that Onee-san has covered all the plants in the garden with fabric."

"It's not a good night for plants, then. Not only that, but we have to get out of here undetected. I don't want Mom and Dad to ask me why I'm wearing such a ridiculous costume."

"Come, now. It does not look ridiculous… at least, not on you."

"I completely agree with Atsushi-san," a voice snuck up on the Battle Lovers as they stepped on the first step of the stairwell. "Onii-san, you look so cute!"

"Sachiko! Shush!" Cerulean warned. "You're going to wake up Mom and Dad!"

"Never mind that…" Epinard voiced concern. "The fact of the matter is that someone saw us transform into the Battle Lovers!"

"Don't worry about it," Sachiko assured. "I won't tell anyone - even if I am excited that my big brother and his boyfriend are fighting bad guys together, even if I want to take pictures of my big brother and his boyfriend fighting bad guys together, even if I want to-"

"Okay, I get it," Cerulean interrupted. "You got to admit, that hardly sounds reassuring."

"I hate to interrupt, but we need to get going, or dealing with the cold will be the least of our problems."

"All right." As Sachiko followed the Battle Lovers to the door, Cerulean whispered, "Now, Sachiko, be sure you lock the door after we've left. I'll do the secret knock when I get home. Absolutely do not open the door unless you hear the secret knock."

"Got it! Good luck on fighting the monsters!"

"We'll need all the luck we can get," Epinard thought as he attempted to locate the monster. He felt he did not have to try hard, however, as a putrid stench began to overtake him. "Bloody hell, that's the worst thing I've ever smelled! I think I've smelled better SBDs from Vesta."

"Really? I don't smell anything," Cerulean noted.

"I don't either," Scarlet, who had just rendezvoused with the pair, cut in.

"There's been no trace of any monsters, except of course for the Lovracelet alert," Sulfur remarked. "Well, since Epinard's the only one who can seem to locate this monster, why don't we have him lead the way?"

"All right," Epinard reluctantly acquiesced. "Just as a forewarning, if I start to feel nauseous from the ripe odor, I'm running the hell away."

"I can't imagine how bad it must be to smell something so foul that it can cause nausea," Sulfur commented as Epinard led them to a garden near Binan High. "I am sorry."

"If anyone deserves any sympathy, it's you, Sulfur. By the way, since Vesta's not here, I'd like to impart a suggestion on you."

"Oh, yeah? What about?"

"About Vesta, of course. Cerulean says that you should do something that shows how devoted you are to him. But don't act too stalker-like, or you could end up turning him off."

"'Devotion,' huh…"

"By the way, why isn't he here?" Scarlet wondered. "When it comes time to do the Love Shower, we're going to be S.O.L."

"I honestly don't know." The doubt in Sulfur's voice bore not a tone of fear, but a tone of concern. "Probably snogging with some Efyu girls, I'd wager."

Before Sulfur could add another words about Vesta, Epinard suddenly keeled over, the smell having reached a high order of repugnance. "Urg… God, I feel absolutely nauseous…"

"What's wrong?" Cerulean knelt, panicking that his lover appeared so queasy.

"That must mean that the monster is nearby…" Sulfur pondered, hearing the nearby bushes rustle and crackle. Surmising that the monster resided there, he pointed his Love Stick and emitted an Added Margin Bomber. "Show yourself, cur!"

"Yeowch!" A figure, covered head-to-toe in _titan aurum_, emerged out of the bushes. "What did this poor, delicate Bad Flower Monster ever do to you?"

"Hm?" Scarlet eyed the monster curiously, then suddenly burst out in laughter. "Ha, ha, ha! It's a flower monster! That's just too funny!"

"It looks pretty harmless to me." Sulfur toyed with one of the Bad Flower Monster's petals. "I don't even smell it."

"I don't either." Cerulean concurred.

"But you guys are supposed to collapse in a fit of nausea!" The Bad Flower Monster slapped his arm at the Battle Lovers, an attack that appeared utterly pathetic.

"Tch!" Scarlet scoffed. "This is going to be the easiest monster fight ever."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that…" The Bad Flower Monster pointed at Epinard, who looked ready to get violently sick without warning. "It looks like my attacks are working on someone! Hooray!"

As the Bad Flower Monster continued to attack Epinard, and Cerulean put forth great effort into protecting the Piercing Prince, Sulfur contemplated, "You know, I just figured out why Epinard's the only one affected by this monster. His element is wind, which carries smells. As such, I'd hazard a guess that he's got a better sense of smell than any of us."

"That's some deep stuff." Scarlet made it obvious that Sulfur's guess went in one ear and out the other.

"The power of the stench of a thousand corpses compel thee!" The Bad Flower Monster's stench grew worse, as did Cerulean's anger in his inability to help his boyfriend.

"For the love of… Argh…" Epinard knelt, pounding the ground as if to ward of the nausea.

"Epinard, no! Hang on!" Cerulean urged.

"I… I can't take it… anymore…" Epinard knew that soon, the nausea would prove to be too much. "Urg…"

"Hahaha!" The Bad Flower Monster reveled in watching Epinard's suffering, even moreso as the Battle Lover began to retch. The monster's joy did not last long, however, as a well-aimed fire attack hit him square on the chest.

"A fire attack?" Sulfur cast a glance from the attack's source. "It's…"

"Vesta!" Scarlet welcomed his comrade gladly. "Nice of you to join us!"

"Not a moment too soon, either…" Epinard felt his nausea alleviate, if only slightly. "Another second later, and I think I would have vomited everywhere."

"I love being fashionably late." Vesta showed a victory sign.

"There will be time to laud you on your not-so-honourable achievements later," Sulfur cut in. "Love Shower time!"

"Yes, Mother…" With a sigh, Vesta performed his duty, and the Bad Flower Monster returned to normal.

"I'm telling you, that was the easiest monster fight ever," Yumoto insisted.

"So, Scarlet Pimpernel." En stopped just short of a snarl when addressing his _kouhai_. "Care to explain why you decided to show up ever so late?"

"Not to you, anyway." Ryuu returned the tone, using a gentler tone towards Io. "More importantly, Io, are you okay?"

"Yeah, because that monster didn't affect me at all."

"I… I see…" Ryuu turned from his best friend, not wanting Io to see the embarrassed expression he wore. "Well, I'm about to leave as quickly as I've arrived, so if you'll excuse me."

"'More importantly?'" En appeared baffled as he watched Ryuu take his leave. "He's an odd one, that Ryuu."

"You think…" Io wondered, "that maybe he…"

"He what?"

"Oh, nothing!" Io quickly began his walk home. "Anyway, you better do something about your boyfriend. He still looks very sickly."

"Don't have to remind me twice." Taking heed of Io's advice, En stooped down to check on Atsushi. "Atsushi, how are you feeling?"

"Well, I don't feel like I'm going to die anymore, I'll give you that. I'm still quite nauseous, though, so we better not go to Kurotama with the others. I think Yumoto and Gora will have a thing or two to say if I vomited in the bath."

"Good call." En picked his boyfriend up, much like a prince would do to his princess. "I'm taking you back home, love. You have a lot of resting to do. It's good for the soul; believe me, I know."

"You and your laziness." Atsushi shook his head and smiled. To his fortune, the weather warmed significantly, not allowing for his nausea to get any worse. In the midst of such pleasant weather, the Battle Lover drifted off into sleep.

"So, anyway, it looks like things are patching up between Io and Ryuu. With any luck, they might end up as-" En had only just realized that his boyfriend had fallen asleep, and stopped to kiss his forehead. As he continued his route, now a mere three meters from his house, he bumped into another person.

"Oh, pardon me," the other person apologized.

"No, I should be sorry." En really hoped that the small collision did not wake Atsushi. Grateful that it did not, he looked up to see who he crashed into. "President Kusatsu. What brings you to my wonderful abode?"

"I just came back from a really depressing movie. And…" Upon seeing the unconscious Atsushi, Kinshiro suddenly took on a slightly exasperated tone. "Yoicks! What happened to Atsushi?"

"Oh…" En couldn't tell Atsushi's former best friend about the Bad Flower Monster. He knew that the student council president was too smart to fall for one of his stupid tricks, but En had no choice but to craft a stupid trick. "He… He fell asleep in the middle of a park, saying that he felt absolutely nauseous. His sister isn't at home, so I'm taking him to my house to help him recover."

"I… see." Kinshiro seemed oblivious to the trick, much to En's joy. "Take care of him for me, please."

"You know I will."

"I better get running along, then." Kinshiro bowed slightly before taking his leave as En returned the gesture.

"Coincidence does cause that student council president to say and do bizarre things…" En contemplated before performing the secret knock on his door. "I've never heard such a tone of concern from him. Atsushi… You really hold some strange influence over that guy, for whatever reason that may be."


	13. Nero kai Anemos

Chapter 13 – Nero kai Anemos

After a constructive, intelligent discussion with Tumblr user queenofthefaces, I've completely revamped the smut scene. I find that when I try to attach a deep, symbolic meaning to sex scenes that I write, they tend to be of higher quality. The previous draft of this chapter didn't seemed to have that, so not only did I omit anal sex in this chapter, but I also made it far more implicit and tried to attach symbolism to it. I hope that this new draft is better!

* * *

"Onii-san! Welcome home!" Sachiko greeted her brother, then changed her tone upon seeing the sickened Atsushi. "Ah! What happened to Atsushi-san? Did those mean monsters do something to him?"

"Yeah. He's so nauseous right now that a ride on a toddler's roller coaster could get him to hurl. Could you get me a dehumidifier, please?"

"Right away!" Sachiko fled to the garage. "I'll get you a dehumidifier, medicine, fresh towels, and anything else you need if it means making Atsushi-san feel better."

_What a sister I have._ En smiled in gratitude as Sachiko scrambled to get what he needed. _She seems like a total idiot on the surface, but it's obvious she loves helping people._

Before En could make way for the stairs, Sachiko beat him to the first step, with everything he needed and then some.

"Here you go, Onii-san! Here's a dehumidifier, a bottle of antiemetic, a futon, and-"

"I'm surprised you've got the strength to carry all of that. Go put all of that in my room, and I'll meet you there."

"Okay!" Sachiko ran up the stairs, miraculously dropping nothing. She just met En outside his room, having done as she was asked. "Do you need help setting up anything?"

"No, I've got it." En insisted as he carried Atsushi into his room. "Thank you for the thought, though."

"If you insist. Hope Atsushi-san feels better soon!"

"I hope so, too." Intent on seeing his boyfriend restored to full health, En decided to focus on nothing but making Atsushi feel comfortable. After putting the bespectacled teen on his bed, he set up the dehumidifier and set aside some antiemetic pills, intending to administer them to Atsushi once he had awakened. En set up the futon on the floor, but after noticing how peaceful Atsushi looked in his slumber, En thought to himself, _Hmm… Maybe I should be the one to sleep on the futon._

With that, En brushed his teeth before grabbing a manga and curling up in the futon. _As much as I want to sleep, I'm going to stay awake until I can give Atsushi the antiemetic, even if I have to be awake until school tomorrow._

En did not take long to tire of what he was doing, because a few seconds later, he felt the urge to grab his gigantic stash of _manju_ from the kitchen. "It would be easier to stay awake if I had a little something to eat… Perhaps I can make curry or something and feed Atsushi, if he's got an appetite after he wakes up. With any luck, there's a movie store still open, so I can… Oh, who am I kidding? If I have to find an excuse to remain awake for Atsushi's sake, then that speaks volumes about the kind of boyfriend I am. Still, this isn't going to be easy…"

It couldn't have been a worse time to have sleeping as one of his main hobbies. En could feel a cloud of tiredness form in his mind, and his vision began to blur. What little he could make out seemed just boring enough to induce REM sleep. That was until he chanced upon a stack of books, with a dubious box on top of the books.

"Oh, hooray, more books…" En hoped that they were not some of Io's incredibly dry microeconomics books, else he would fall even deeper into slumber. With any luck, the box contained more _manju_ to help keep him awake.

The true content of what he noticed, on the other hand, nearly gave him a heart attack with their shock value. "Mother of the gods! How did such risqué yaoi manga end up in my room? …Wait, never mind. Yumoto, the king of buttmunches, must have given them to me because his parents are catching onto him. Yeah, because there's not a snowball's chance in hell Sachiko's going to see them and demand them for herself. I better get into the box of _manju_, then…"

En expected to feel the parchment paper known to cover _manju _as he proceeded to take a piece and eat it. The flavour of plastic he got instead displeased him greatly. "Yuck! Is this fake _manju_ or something? I can't believe-"

As if the 18+ yaoi manga couldn't throw En any more off guard, he tossed the box on the bed upon learning what it really contained, barely avoiding Atsushi in the process. The contents of said box scattered all over the bed, somehow not awakening him. There was no way under the sun Yumoto would have any need for them, and En could think of only one culprit. "If Yumoto is the king of buttmunches, then Ryuu is the king of buttheads! Where the heck did he get such a huge box of condoms?! Well, it's a completely stocked box, so I see he's never had to use a single one. Not that he ever will, anyway."

En didn't know why, but in his hand he still held the condom he almost accidentally ate. "Not like I ever will, either."

Between the yaoi manga scattered all over the room and the sheet of condoms covering Atsushi, En decided that he liked those sights… although perhaps a little too much. He thanked all that was good that Atsushi wasn't awake to see him in such a mortifying state. En didn't even bother to do anything about it, too much effort, he reckoned. He decided that the only option was to sleep it off. "Sigh… I suppose that Atsushi is going to have to take the antiemetics on his own. Speaking of Atsushi… What in blazes am I doing in his bed?"

Forget the fact that the bed was actually his – En promised himself that he would let Atsushi stay the night, his sleep uninterrupted. Considering that both young men still had school to look forward to the next day, there was no way En was going to let his lust impede that promise… not even if Atsushi somehow took his hand whilst still sleeping. "En-chan…"

En never thought that he'd never see such an eccentric side of his boyfriend. _It must be the nausea. Because the real Atsushi would _never _do this._

Yet Atsushi was so charming that there was no way he _couldn't_ be real. En wasn't sure if he wanted to know what could be going on in that probably kinky dream of Atsushi's, but… This rather entertaining side of Atsushi pleased En very much.

En didn't have the energy to resist Atsushi's charm anymore – not that he wanted to in the first place. As if his previous tiredness did not exist, En not only let Atsushi do what he wanted to do with his hand, he took a step further, stroking Atsushi's length and taking pride in his delighted expression.

_Oh, this is the real Atsushi, all right,_ En pondered as the pleasure in his boyfriend's face and voice grew all the more evident. And the more evident that pleasure became, the more that the pleasure reflected back on En. The face Atsushi made when he came almost proved to be too much, and if En didn't do something about it soon, he'd-

"En-chan…?" Atsushi's eyes abruptly opened. "Oh, thank the gods that you're all right. I thought that that monster was going to kill you with its overly ripe odor. Where am I, anyway? Last I remember, I…"

The sight En showed to him, however, erased Atsushi's need to ask any questions. Atsushi thought for a split second that he simply awoke from his previous dream and began another one, but that sight on En's hand was indeed very, very real. "En-chan, I'm so sorry! I seriously thought that I was… then I had to go and… You must be so disgusted."

"Oh, quite the contrary…" En's grin turned devilish at hearing the reality behind Atsushi's dream. For being rude enough to interrupt that dream, En decided to continue it with the array of fantasies he had in his mind.

Daunted by the thoughts hiding behind the smile, Atsushi flinched as he halted En's prying hand at his shirt. It seemed to him that just yesterday, he worked to suppress the lust that overcame him at Kurotama. He thought that his dream of kissing the man he loved would be enough to satisfy his desires for centuries. To have such romance of the highest order happen upon him now, with no illusion or dream to get in the way, felt too overwhelming for Atsushi's racing heart. "En-chan… Your hand… It's-"

"Oh…" En retracted his hand when he noticed how uncomfortable Atsushi appeared. The guy looked like so much as another touch would instill fear into him. And now, En felt ashamed that he let his own fantasies get the best of him, especially since this was the last thing that Atsushi needed after enduring fits of nausea. "Sorry… I shouldn't have. I'll go get your antiemetics now-"

But before En could motion to do this, Atsushi pulled En back to him and gave him a look of longing. "En-chan, it's okay… Just knowing that you show such concern for me is soothing, as is your presence. I don't need those medicines, not when I've got you here to make me feel better."

"But…" En felt that Atsushi had something more to say, something that would make him feel utterly happy, but held back his thoughts just in case he was wrong.

"Don't…" Atsushi frowned, not because he didn't like what En had been doing to him, but because he knew his boyfriend felt distraught and shameful. "Don't look like that. Despite what you're thinking… Let me tell you right now that I want you here, and I want you as close to me as you can be, in every aspect."

"Atsushi…" Tears of joy came to En's eyes from hearing his boyfriend speak of him so highly. Atsushi's words almost created a cathartic moment for En, who now proceeded to fulfill Atsushi's wishes with intimate caresses.

"Feel no shame, En-chan." Atsushi welcomed En's advances with an embrace. "I love you so much. If letting you do this to me isn't enough to tell you that, then I don't know what is."

En felt too shaken, too overcome with happiness to so much as utter a word after this declaration. He knew that for every word he would have uttered, Atsushi would utter back words of far greater charm. Thus he let his actions and his heartbeat speak when he could not, when his words had no power. And throughout the night, En and Atsushi continued their passionate dance, with only moonlight to cover their bodies and each other to share for warmth.


	14. Concert of Pigs

Chapter 14 – Concert of Pigs

_Damn…._ En groaned, strongly resenting the sunlight that interrupted his slumber. In all his drowsiness, the last thing he wanted to do was go to school and listen to Professor Buhtalks drone on about the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Not exactly a great way to greet a class full of people who wish they didn't have to be there to begin with. "Well, since I'm awake, I might as well finish that last of that _manju_. Too bad it's almost gone…"

As En proceeded to throw the empty _manju_ box in the small wastebasket by his bed, he noticed that the trashcan was empty – except for one small item that reminded him of the unspeakable things he did to Atsushi the night previous. "Stars above… Some 'healing with the power of Love Making' that was. All it did was make his nausea worse, I'm sure… Argh, what are these ridiculous things I'm saying?"

"What _are_ these ridiculous things you're saying?" Atsushi asked, fully awake to surprise his boyfriend.

"Yoicks!" En gently forced his boyfriend back into bed. "Atsushi, you need to rest. You're probably still feeling nauseous."

"Nope, I'm feeling just great." Resisting En, Atsushi jumped out of bed, somehow excited to listen to a dry calculus lecture. "'The power of Love Making…' Ha, ha."

"Uy… I at least thought that his back would be sore or something." En took relief in knowing that Atsushi felt much better.

"I can't wait to listen to Professor Buhtalks' lecture on the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus," Atsushi spoke excitedly as he double-checked his belongings, still in the nude. "I worked really hard on our homework due today, too. If you like, En-chan, I can let you look over- Oh…"

"What's wrong?"

"Blast it all!" Atsushi's happy tone changed dramatically. "I left my homework at my house!"

"Well, that ain't good. You don't live that far away, so we should totally make it on time if we run."

"You better get dressed first, unless you want to-"

"Oniiiii-san!" Sachiko, whose room did not reside far, rushed to En's room. "How's Atsushi-san? Is he all better now?"

"Oh, you bet he is," En replied as he halfheartedly concealed his groin behind pillow. "So much, in fact, that he and I can both tell you not to just waltz on in!"

"Oh…!" Sachiko froze at the sight of the two nude young men, then squealed loudly.

"Sachiko, forgive me…" Atsushi felt shameful that his boyfriend's younger sister had to see him naked – something that no girl that age should have to see, despite the yaoi manga she owned.

"I can't believe… that real-life yaoi happened in my own house!"

"Sachiko, you really need to lay off that yaoi manga…" En shook his head and grabbed his uniform pants.

"Yes, Sachiko," Mr. Yufuin intervened, having just woken up with his wife. "By the way, how in tarnation did you manage to buy all that yaoi manga behind my back?"

"I-I didn't buy them!" Sachiko lied. "My friends forced them on me, and-"

"Uh-huh, sure." Mrs. Yufuin didn't buy her daughter's excuse. "If that's the case, then you'll return them to your friends within the week."

"Yes, Mother…" Sachiko began to trail off after her parents left, but noticed Yumoto's stack of yaoi manga. "Hey, can I have those?"

"Uh…" Atsushi couldn't find a suitable reply.

"Great!" Without awaiting a reply, Sachiko seized the stack of manga and rushed it into her room.

After En led Atsushi a respectable distance from his house, hopeful that Sachiko wouldn't receive too much flack from their parents, he began, "I thought that Yumoto was the biggest buttmunch I ever met… but I think he has some serious competition in Sachiko."

"What a mean thing to say about your own sister," Atsushi joked. "If we're lucky enough, Onee-san stacked my notes, textbooks, pencils, laptop, and everything else I need-"

"So nice of you to finally come home," Noriko's daunting voice greeted her little brother in the living room. "Now I'm starting to doubt your promise to not stay away too late."

"Onee-san, I'm sorry. I got seriously ill at the park, and En-chan helped to care for me."

"Then he should have taken you straight he-" Noriko halted her sentence when she noticed that Atsushi didn't look how he normally did when ready for school, and instantly knew why. "That better not be… what I think it is on your blazer…"

_Ack!_ Atsushi took an awkward glance at where his sister stared. _Ye gods, how unlucky can I be?_

"Taking advantage of my little brother's illness…" Noriko shuddered, sighing in slight disgust. "I knew you would do kinky things to Atsushi one day."

Just when Atsushi thought that his sister would go crazy and start hurling things across the room, he thought of the ideal way to placate her as he grabbed something from his handbag. "Hey, Onee-san, look what I brought you!"

"Eh?" Noriko, rather than grabbing the tomato she had planned to crush in her hand, took Atsushi's offering of food. "This is… it's _dolmadakia_, isn't it? There's no mistaking the fine grape leaves and the lemon zest aroma…"

"Do you like that dish?" En felt relieved that a simple offering of Greek food could so easily pacify Noriko. "I made those for lunch yesterday. They're not very fresh, but-"

"You bet I do!" Noriko embraced En. "It's one of my favourites. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! Maybe I'll forgive you for doing gods-know-what to my brother, just this once. By the way, Atsushi, your things for school are on the coffee table. Your calculus homework looks like it had a lot of effort put into it, so I put it on the top of the stack."

"Thanks a ton!" Atsushi took his belongings in a rush. "Bye!"

"With how Noriko reacted to the Greek food, maybe I really _should_ come over and cook for your family every day."

"Absolutely," Atsushi concurred as they took their seats in Professor Buhtalks' class. To his fortune, the professor paid them very little heed, for he was too enthralled about teaching his students about calculus. "Then it would really feel like you're part of the family."

Despite his promise that he would remain awake during Professor Buhtalks' class, come hell or high water, En landed his head on the desk the instant he heard the phrase, "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus." Those words alone assured him that this class alone would be grueling, never mind the other boring classes he had to endure. En swore to himself that if it weren't for Atsushi constantly slapping him awake, his teachers would have made sure he'd have hell to pay. He at least knew that the Chikyuubouei-bu and GSA meetings that awaited him at the end of the day would be entertaining enough so that he wouldn't tiredly stagger on the way home.

"I officially hate calculus…" En groaned with his head on the Chikyuubouei-bu meeting table. "That teacher is so boring that he could make a lecture about _onsen_ _manju_ as entertaining as _Atlas Shrugged._"

"I hear you, man," Ryuu cut in. "Algebra is so boring that I fell asleep as soon as the teacher said, 'polynomials.' Whatever the hell that means."

"I really don't see how you aren't in danger of failing." Io shook his head. "You're such a simpleton - even when it comes to dating."

"Yeah, like you're the one to talk." Ryuu scoffed back. "And what do you mean, 'I'm such a simpleton – even when it comes to dating?' Why, I was going to hand a bunch of condoms to some friends in gym class, as my popularity has made that item all the rage at Binan High. But when I went to my locker, they were gone! Now I've got guys always hounding me in gym class and asking for condoms! I'm going to get the asswipe that took them, I'm telling you!"

"So, those condoms _were_ yours…" En started. "I guess I shouldn't have used one without-"

"Wait, _you're_ the one that stole them?! Not only that… you actually used one?"

"Please, forget you heard me say that," En insisted, feeling the urge to curl into a fetal position.

"You're quite the ladies' man, I see." Ryuu smirked.

"Yeah, except you forgot that Yufuin-sempai's boyfriends with Kinugawa-sempai!" Yumoto exclaimed.

"Okaaaaay, that's way too much information!" Ryuu, in a fit of repulsion, threw his hands up as a flood of unpleasant images seeped into his head. He didn't like Io's flushed face, either. "What's the matter?"

"It's just… you're still a virgin, aren't you?"

"Shut your face!" Ryuu exclaimed, hitting Io with a Fruit Ninja pillow. "I hope you're not getting any ideas in that dirty little mind of yours."

"Maybe I should have given you some, Io." En flashed a mischievous grin.

"What are you getting at, Yufuin-sempai?" Ryuu asked, resenting his _sempai's_ suggestion.

"We all know Naruko-sempai's in love with you," Yumoto replied. "He told us himself."

"H-Hey now, Yumoto!" Io nearly threw his tablet at his _kouhai_. "Don't go broadcasting that!"

"Why not? After Yufuin-sempai and Kinugawa-sempai, I think that you and Zaou-sempai make the cutest couple ever."

"Now that's just…." Ryuu wish that Yumoto would keep that loose tongue behind his teeth. "Io and I, together? Like how I am on my dates with all those Efyu girls? There's just no way… I can't be in…"

Unable to tolerate his clubmates' musings any longer, Ryuu swiftly took his leave of Chikyuubouei-bu, with no particular destination in mind. As he contemplated Yumoto's words and how Io seemed jubilant at the suggestions, Ryuu passed by the student council room, where a pink-haired angel resided.

Akoya loved the sun rays greeting him from the white window drapes. They accentuated the subject of his painting splendidly, so the secretary could not miss a single detail. Yet something felt missing – he needed an object of equal beauty to complement the subject perfectly. What could it be?

Luckily for Akoya, the incoming Ibushi would bring him answers. "Hey, Akoya. Working on another painting?"

"Yep."

"What of?"

"It's a self portrait."

"Another one?" Ibushi gave an annoyed sigh. "Isn't that the tenth one this week?"

"But I'm so beautiful, I can't help myself."

"The least you can do is paint something else – or even add something in your self portrait. Like this." Ibushi set the pot of red roses he held by the large mirror Akoya was using.

"The time it must have taken for you to arrange those flowers… I must say, out of anything or anyone I've ever seen, those roses are the most beauteous," Akoya remarked.

"Other than you, of course." Ibushi twirled a lock of pink hair and kissed it.

"Thanks for that…" Akoya blushed with a smile. "Anyway, I regret to tell you that I can't paint your flowers right now. I just got a text from Heywood, and he wants me in the music studio to practice for our concert tonight. I've got a violin solo, so I can't miss it."

"You know I love your concerts so. What kinds of songs are you going to be playing?"

"The theme for tonight is video games. The song for which I'll be playing a solo is the theme song of a militaristic group of pigs."

"How… quaint." Ibushi didn't like the thought of his boyfriend having anything to do with a creature as unclean as a pig, but knew that Akoya would perfect that song.

"If you like, you can bring the flowers and decorate the stage with them. I'll feel at ease knowing that your wonderful flowers are there. In fact, bring them to the rehearsal."

"But of course." Ibushi acquiesced as he reclaimed the flower pot. "It would be nice if Kinshiro could join us, though."

As the couple proceeded to leave, holding the flower pot together, they bumped into the very-in-a-hurry student council president. The looseness of the fabric Kinshiro wore caught Akoya off guard, and he nearly dropped the flower pot. "Oh, sorry about that, Akoya."

"You better be!" Akoya recovered from the fall he took to save the flower pot. "And anyway, where were you this whole time? The gym class has been badgering us for condoms, and we had to make pathetic excuses to turn them away."

"That's barbaric! Believe me, if I didn't have archery practice all day, then I would have dealt with that humiliating experience by myself."

"We forgive you, then." Ibushi gave his peer a reassuring pat on the back. "We were going to head to a- Wait, wait, wait. I just got the best idea."

"What do you have planned, hmm?" Kinshiro wondered.

"Why don't you invite Kinugawa to the concert? It would be a great opportunity for you guys to... how should I say, bond a little."

"You know, I didn't think of that! You're brilliant, Ibushi." Akoya nudged his boyfriend. "Kusatsu-sempai, I think you'll love the song for which I'm playing a solo. The upbeat nature of it fits you very well."

"'Bond a little,' huh…" Kinshiro stared absentmindedly at the window, wishing upon the stars he would soon see. "I better get going and find him, then."

"He probably went home already, though," Ibushi commented. "He's probably not even in Chikyuubouei-bu right now, as clubs have all adjourned for the day."

"All clubs…" Kinshiro began as he made way for the one room in which he knew Atsushi would reside. "All clubs but one."


	15. Rain of Arrows

Notes: This and the next chapter were originally going to be one chapter, but it ended up being a lot longer than I thought. Ergo, I will post Chapter 16 either tonight or tomorrow.

Chapter 15 – Rain of Arrows

"Dear gods, that meeting took forever." Atsushi straightened his hair, which had been ruffled in tiredness, as he left the GSA meeting. To his dismay, the sky shone with stars, and he knew he had been away from home far later than Noriko would allow. "If it weren't for that idiot who vandalized our store, then the meeting would have actually ended on time. Now I need to take a nap."

"You and me both," En concurred as he nestled his head into Atsushi's shoulder. "I think I'd like to take one at your house today."

As the pair exchanged romantic gestures, Io felt a miniscule bit of jealousy come about. "Okay, okay. Way to rub it into the face of a single guy, you two. I'm just glad Ryuu isn't here to disparage you guys."

"Poor, poor Naruko-sempai…" Yumoto, in an act of sympathy, gave Io a hug from behind. "Someone needs to be cuddled."

As the four GSA officers enjoyed their romping and fun, Kinshiro couldn't help but notice with slight envy. "You guys seem to be a bit… lax."

"And you seem a bit… uptight." En strongly disliked the student council president, and his stern demeanour reminded him why.

"Anyway…" Atsushi blocked En from Kinshiro's path, afraid of what might transpire if he did not. "What do you need, Kinshiro?"

"Ah…" Kinshiro stopped just three meters short of the bespectacled teen. "Akoya is going to be playing a violin solo in a classical music concert in about an hour, if you're interested."

"You bet I am!" Yumoto jumped at the idea, much to the surprise of everyone else.

"I think I'd like to go," Io agreed. "Every classical concert I've heard of has made a ton of money. Maybe I can get some ideas."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass." En told the silver-haired student on his way out of Binan High. "I'm probably going to fall asleep in the middle of it, anyway."

"Not that I'd want you there, you cur," Kinshiro mumbled, then turned to his longtime friend with eyes of hope. "Atsushi, you?"

"I am a bit exhausted and stressed… I think attending a concert with you would be very refreshing."

"Oh…" Kinshiro turned away with a blush, taking a short leave for the bathroom. "See you in an hour, then."

"Classical music is very refined, too," Atsushi added as he and his friends made way for the concert reception. Though the concert would start in an hour, many guests had arrived, mingling with one another in sophisticated discussion. "I'm surprised you have the mental capacity to want to attend, Yumoto. Any reason why?"

"Well, because Kusatsu-sempai is going to be there, that's why," Yumoto replied without shame.

"Even though he's not going to be performing?" Io asked, sipping a glass of fake wine. "You've got an odd taste in guys, that's for sure."

"I-I don't like him like that!" Yumoto denied. "I just think he's quite cool, that's all."

"Uh-huh, suuuure…" Io poked his _kouhai_ playfully. "I, for one, think you two would make the cutest couple ever."

"Stop mimicking me!" Yumoto attempted to play back with a wrist flick, which Io readily deflected.

"You guys really enjoy your fun, don't you?" Kinshiro asked as he returned from the bathroom. "Sure must feel great being a bunch of artless buffoons."

"Takes a buffoon to know a buffoon," Io scoffed, then whispered to Yumoto, "I don't see what you see in this guy. He's such a jerk."

"I told you, I don't like him like that!" Yumoto insisted, and in his fit he inadvertently struck a glass of red wine that doused Kinshiro's hands.

"I dare say!" Kinshiro, aghast at Yumoto's foolish play, departed for a front row seat. "You're such a barbarian. I think now would be a great time to take my leave of you."

"Wait, Kinshiro!" Atsushi, ashamed of the immaturity his _kouhai_ displayed, followed Kinshiro to the seat.

"And he reminds me every day why Yufuin-sempai and I dislike him so much…" Io snarled. "Come, Yumoto, let's find seats that are far, far away from those two."

"…"

"Yumoto, what's wrong? Sad that there isn't any _onigiri_ at the reception?"

"Okay, maybe a_ little_."

"That's a shocker. I thought that you'd move heaven and Earth to bring _onigiri_ to the reception."

"No! I mean…" Yumoto, in his embarrassment, reluctantly took the seat next to Io. Staring at Kinshiro who sat in the row three meters away, he continued, "…maybe I like him a _little._"

"Ooh…" Io released an impish giggle. "The Gay Whisperer has a crush on the student council president. You're the apparent master of gay romance, so who could you possibly confide in?"

"I don't know if I can confide in anyone, especially since Kusatsu-sempai's in love with someone else."

"I feel your pain, dude." Io patted Yumoto's back in sympathy. "Hopefully, this concert will be great enough to lift your spirits."

Interrupting the rather jovial conversation, the lights in the auditorium dimmed to welcome the hum of a violin. With a gradual movement amidst an array of red roses, the curtain revealed the pink haired angel and his band of companions. Though the violin solo began as a childishly playful sound, a menagerie of wind and percussion instruments joined in, creating the upbeat rhythm symbolic of the militaristic pigs. Even as the song conveyed the evil tone the video game's main villain was known for, Akoya's violin resounded above all, instilling calm in the audience members lucky enough to hear it.

"Akoya's sure got the violin skills…" Io whispered to Yumoto. "Arima-sempai's very fortunate to have him for a boyfriend."

"Ditto. I'm a huge fan of this video game, and I think Gero-sempai's rendition of this song is awesome!"

Even as he flaunted his grace, Akoya took a brief moment to acknowledge the presence of his boyfriend in the audience, casting a wink in Ibushi's direction and eliciting a smile from the vice president.

"Aw, I wish that was for me!" a student wailed.

"Akoya! We love you!" a group of students called out, tossing flower petals onto the stage.

The climax of the song had been reached, and a contented Akoya prepared to finish the song strong. Yet to his chagrin, and to the chagrin of the captivated audience members, a lone cry ruined Akoya's show. "Attack! Don't let them get away with this!"

"Stars above! What was that, Kinshiro?" Atsushi sought his friend for an answer, and went into a panic when the seat beside him was empty. His fellow Binan High students shared his sympathy, as all worked hard to avoid the arrows coming from an unidentifiable source. "Kinshiro? Where did you go?"

"There are arrows flying everywhere! Yoicks!" Io barely evaded the arrow that would have otherwise hit his backside. "There's no doubt about it… It's the work of monsters."

"You mean the monsters from before?" Yumoto asked. "The ones that used all those weapons?"

"Precisely." Io didn't like the chaos of the room and the situation causing it. "Unfortunately, we're going to have a hard time finding a good place to transform. There are too many people running like headless chickens, and they're all blocking our path to the exit. Add that to the fact that Yufuin-sempai and Ryuu are not here… Let's just say we've quite the situation on our hands."

"But we've got to find a way!" Yumoto pouted loudly. "People are going to get hurt! I'd rather tell everyone I'm Battle Lover Scarlet than see more people get-"

"Ack! Yumoto, watch out!" Io pushed Yumoto to the floor to avoid a javelin attack.

Unfortunately for Atsushi, a rain of arrows in his direction made him barrel roll into a secluded fire exit, far from his comrades. Recovering from the collision against the exit door, he told himself, "Damn… I'm going to have a hard time getting to the heart of the action. If only there was someone willing to help me."

Kinshiro, who had barrel rolled into a nearby exit, motioned towards his friend. "Wait, Atsushi! I know the way there! Let me-"

"At any rate, this is the perfect place in which to transform. Love Making!"

The giant gusts of wind that Atsushi summoned drove Kinshiro back to the fire exit door. When all the wind cleared, and the student council president looked up, he couldn't believe his eyes. Before him, several meters away, stood one of his hated enemies: the Battle Lover Epinard. The knee-high green boots and the funky tuxedo erased any doubts that Epinard and Atsushi shared the same identity.

"It… It can't be…" As Epinard left him, Kinshiro stepped back, still trying to digest the overwhelming information he had just taken. "Atsushi… I had been fighting my longtime friend for this long, and without realizing it? This is… Argh! Curse it all! Curse you, Yufuin En! Curse the Battle Lovers, and damn them all to hell! Conquest!"

In the meantime, Scarlet and Sulfur worked tirelessly to ward off the enemies, in their ninja-like garb, attacking them. They counted their blessings that so far they suffered very minor scrapes, despite the rain of enemies they endured.

"For the love of mother and child, where is Epinard-sempai?" Sulfur grumbled, repelling three enemies with an Added Margin Bomber. "We're not going to last this much longer without him!"

"I don't suppose… I hope he didn't get ki-"

"Sorry to disappoint you, guys, but here I am!" Epinard entered the scene. "Something-Or-Other Storm!"

"About bloody time!" Sulfur exclaimed, swearing that he would have hit Epinard with his Love Stick if he wasn't using it to repel enemies.

"It would certainly be nice to have Cerulean-sempai and Vesta-sempai here, though…" Scarlet voiced concern. "You think that the Lovracelet Alert would have given them the hint. I hope Vesta-sempai isn't ditching us for a date or something. And Cerulean-sempai… He's probably sleeping like a log."

"En-chan…" Epinard swung his Love Stick aimlessly, very fortunate to ward off enemies nonetheless. "Where are you? You couldn't… You didn't abandon me, did you?"

"Hey!" Scarlet warned. "Epinard-sempai, there's an arrow coming your way!"

"What?" To Epinard's misfortune, the arrow got to him mere seconds after he was warned of it. He didn't even really know where it hit him – yet surprisingly, it hurt only mildly. "They must be toy arrows or something. That hardly landed a scratch."

"The enemy's going to be very easy to defeat, then." Scarlet smirked, launching a barrage of Scarlet Lumieres at his foes.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that… Look behind you, Scarlet."

As Scarlet turned in the direction that Sulfur indicated, the Sparkling Prince now faced a group of sword-wielding enemies. The group proved to be very large, as they encircled the three Battle Lovers and blocked every exit.

"I don't suppose… that those swords are as dull as that arrow that hit you, Epinard-sempai?" Scarlet asked, almost rhetorically.

"Considering that that guy over there just slashed a fake tree to chopsticks as if to prove that he means business… I would say not."

"You've got nowhere to run!" proclaimed one of the enemies, presumably the leader. "We're going to kill the lot of you and ruin your plans!"

"You're just a bunch of meanies!" Scarlet stuck a tongue out at the leader.

"How dare you mock me, you imp! I'll make you pay for your immaturity!"

The leader charged forward, knowing full well that he would hit Scarlet, for the Battle Lover had nowhere to run.


	16. Deceptive Stars

Chapter 16 – Deceptive Stars

The three Battle Lovers had archers to their backs, lance users flanking them, and the sword users in their faces. In his mind, Scarlet surmised, _Damn it all… There are probably more enemies outside, too. Even if we manage to escape, we're going to be killed on our way out._

"Why don't you surrender?" the leader suggested as he continued his charge. "Then maybe we'll give you 100 lashes with the sword instead of 1000."

"We'll never surrender!" Epinard shouted. "What kind of cowards do you take us for?"

"Then I'm really going to enjoy killing you all! I almost feel bad for not giving you the chance at last words."

"Scarlet, it was nice knowing you," Sulfur told his comrade as the three Battle Lovers were forced to recede towards the archers. "The both of us are going to die as single, lonely virgins. I didn't even get a chance to sell my stocks before my unfortunate demise. It's a pity, really."

Right before the Battle Lovers' backs pricked the points of enemy arrows, they heard the strident cries of enemies before them. Arrows, quite distinct from any that flew during the battle, pummeled the sword users, now dropping by the numbers.

"Aah!" the enemy leader screamed, recognizing the make of the arrows that rained upon his fighters. "It's the golden arrows! Run!"

"Eh?" Scarlet turned around, seeing arrows made of pure gold drive his enemies away. He had no idea who shot them, but whoever it might have been, they were the reason that the auditorium began to clear of enemies. Lances made of pure silver and pearls joined the golden arrows, scaring the enemies into fleeing until only spent arrows and lances littered the auditorium.

"Oh, thank the gods that they're all gone." With a sigh or relief, Atsushi found the energy to revert to normal form. Not too long after he did, however, he felt a sharp twinge of pain in his backside. "Yeowch! That hurt…"

"Holy…" Yumoto gaped at the wound. "There's an arrow in your butt, Kinugawa-sempai!"

"So, _that's_ where it hit me… Not exactly the best place to get hit by an arrow, considering that I'm a submissive."

"I can't believe that you feel you're in a position to crack inappropriate jokes." Io smiled, thankful that his _sempai's_ wound was not very serious. "I guess it doesn't hurt much, then."

"But we can't leave it untreated… What are we going to do?" Yumoto wondered.

"Allow me," a cool voice cut in.

Instantly knowing who owned that voice, Yumoto exclaimed, "Kusatsu-sempai! Gero-sempai and Arima-sempai, too. Where have you guys been? And how did you stay safe in the middle of the brouhaha that occurred just minutes ago?"

"I don't think I feel obliged to tell you that, fool," Kinshiro responded coldly. Then, returning to Atsushi with a much kinder tone, he asked, "Can you walk?"

"Yeah, but…" After a mere step, Atsushi quickly changed his mind. "Never mind. I can hop on one foot, but that's about it."

"Let me help you, then. Up you go!" Kinshiro hoisted Atsushi piggyback style. On everyone's way to the infirmary, he noted, "You are too light, Atsushi. You really need to eat more."

"Yeah, yeah… I get that enough from a certain boy-" Atsushi stopped himself short, rather thankful that he said no more than he did.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all!"

"Anything you say." All six boys made it to the infirmary, not surprised to find no one else there. Setting Atsushi on one of the beds, Kinshiro continued, "Now, I know I'm not very good at first aid, but I'll do what I can."

"Good luck with that…" Akoya muttered to himself as he watched Kinshiro grab the arrow. "You're going to need it."

"Ouch!" Atsushi winced in pain as Kinshiro attempted to remove the arrow.

"Gods above, this isn't going to be easy…" Kinshiro found his current position to be quite awkward. "Unfortunately, Atsushi, we can't take you to a hospital, because they'd have a thing or two to say when a patient comes to them with an arrow in the backside. Unless I pull the arrow out right now, you're going to have it stuck in your butt for the rest of your life."

"All right, fine. You win. Just pull it out already – I can endure a little pain for just a few minutes."

"If you say so. Brace yourself, then." Kinshiro counted down, and on the count of "zero," he managed to pull the arrow out. Much to his relief, Atsushi bled very minimally, and the wound was swiftly treated.

"Thanks a ton, Kinshiro." Atsushi smiled at his friend. "I really owe you one."

"It's really nothing."

"What do you mean, 'it's really nothing?' Look at you, Kusatsu-sempai!" Yumoto noticed the fairly large laceration on Kinshiro's right hand.

"Damn!" Now that someone pointed out that he was wounded, Kinshiro grimaced in pain. "That's my arrow hand, too. I can't believe I allowed myself to get injured – this severely, no less."

"I can't believe you – trying to help someone, when you're very hurt, yourself!" Yumoto scrambled for something to staunch the blood. Not only did the infirmary run low on supplies, but Yumoto also knew less about first aid than anyone else there.

"You don't have to worry about me, you know. It's not even that bad. I'll head home in a little bit, then I can get it tre-"

"Don't say that!" Yumoto, having exhausted other options, found roll gauze and some disinfectant wipes. "Give me your hand."

"Okay, have it your way…" Rolling his eyes, Kinshiro surrendered his hand to the inexperienced hands. When Yumoto had finished, Kinshiro's entire hand had become encased in a mitten of gauze.

"Phew… It's stopped bleeding, at least for now. Make sure to get it treated properly when you can, okay?" Yumoto gave the hand a get-well-soon kiss.

"Yes, yes…" Kinshiro, with a slight blush, proceeded to the bathroom. "I'm going to try to wash my face, seeing as you were graceless enough to get blood on it. Thanks for helping… I guess."

"Any time!" Yumoto hoped that from his grin and his kind act, Kinshiro could understand how he felt about him – even if only a little. "Have a good night!"

"Good night, dunderhead!" Akoya playfully patted the first-year on the head, following Ibushi out of the infirmary. To their surprise, two very worried and somewhat angry individuals met them there and prevented them from walking any further.

"Fancy meeting you here, Mr. Student Council Secretary." En snarled at Akoya.

"Hey, Yufuin-sempai…" Akoya started. "What's going on… Oh, you. Thanks for gracing me with your presence, Ryuu."

"Your stink wafted all throughout the hallway," Ryuu retorted. "I couldn't miss it."

"Anyway, I came here because I heard Atsushi got tangled up in some mess at your concert." En did not release his glare on Akoya. "If anything happened to him, I'm going to do a little more harm that just shear off that pink hair of yours."

"Hey, hey…" Akoya hid himself behind Ibushi's arm. "Take it easy. Your pretty little princess is in the infirmary, and he's perfectly okay."

"He is? Let me see him!" En demanded, shoving Akoya aside. "Out of my way!"

"We better get out of here," Ibushi declared, taking Akoya by the hand, "before he attempts to cut your hair."

"Atsushi!" En barged the infirmary door open. "Atsushi, are you okay?"

"En-chan!" Atsushi leapt out of the infirmary bed to give his boyfriend a hug. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you. The monsters we fought were probably the toughest yet."

"Did you get hurt?" En caressed Atsushi's back, as if to check for wounds. "You want me to get you something?"

"I did, but I'm fine now. I just received an arrow in my butt, that's all."

"An arrow? So, those enemies have finally decided to show themselves…"

"We were about to get our butts kicked, too," Yumoto cut in. "But then we got help from some weird dudes. I wish I could have seen them so I could have given them all big hugs!"

"I'm sure we'll see them again," Io remarked. "Especially if those enemies attack again."

"Oh, you're here too, Io…" Ryuu shied away slightly upon seeing his admirer.

"Where were you this whole time?" Io growled. "Are your dating habits more important than your comrades?"

"No, I…" Ryuu stammered. "Let me explain. As soon as I got the Lovracelet alert, I tried to make my way here as fast as I could. But my date insisted that I stayed, and when I put up a fight, onlookers really let me have it! If it wasn't for Yufuin-sempai, I would have probably stayed there forever."

"I guess… that's a plausible excuse."

"That's not all." Ryuu approached Io nervously without making eye contact. "I've wanted to tell you this for a long time. About rejecting you like the asshole I was… I… I really wanted to… That is to say… I'm so… I'm so sor…ry."

"Eh? What did you say?" Io asked, grabbing Ryuu's hand.

"I'm not going to repeat myself."

"Oh, come on, Ryuu!" Io joked about. "Say it again!"

"Forget it! You snooze, you lose!" Ryuu began a play-fight with his friend, reassuring their fellow Chikyuubouei-bu members that they've begun to patch things up. Meanwhile, Kinshiro had just finished wiping the last speck of blood from his face, and put a hand on the restroom doorknob, but stopped when he heard En's voice.

"I'm glad that they're okay now." En smiled, turning to Atsushi. "I'm glad that you're okay, too. I'm ashamed that I wasn't there to protect you. Next time Kinshiro offers me a chance to go to a classical concert, I'm going, come hell or high water."

"En-chan, please put all of that out of your mind. An arrow to the butt is nothing at all."

"Why, aren't you the bold one. I would have cowered in pain, but you… You're a submissive. I would imagine you'd be devastated."

_Wait… What?!_ Kinshiro, feeling annoyance brew in him, shook the doorknob.

"Oh, I'm not." Atsushi responded as he snuggled with En. "You handled me gently last night, so I've nothing to worry about."

The somewhat subliminal message sent through Kinshiro a pang of terrible jealousy. Though he almost never displayed his true emotions, he felt that the infuriating confession was a perfect time to do so. Kinshiro's anger quickly mounted, showing itself in the punch that he unleashed upon the door.

"Oh, Kinshiro." En halfheartedly acknowledged the student council president's presence. "What brings you here?"

"…" Kinshiro at first refused to speak, feeling that his icy glare at En would speak for itself.

"Thanks for saving me, by the way," Atsushi spoke up. "I'd have hated to be stuck with that arrow in my butt forever. You are a great friend."

Finally, deciding that body language couldn't convey his emotions, Kinshiro thundered, "Give it a rest already! The two of you make me absolutely nauseous!"

As Atsushi watched his longtime friend storm off, nearly breaking the door's hinges as he slammed it, he felt tempted to follow him and check what might be wrong, until En stopped him. "I don't think you want to follow him. Whatever set him off, it's got to be serious."

"That's why I should go check on him! I don't know what made him angry, but if there's anything I can do to help, I have to-"

"Atsushi, calm yourself. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Okay. If you insist, En-chan."

In the meantime, Kinshiro stopped at Binan High's main exit, short of breath not only from running, but also from using it in his exasperated exclamations. He felt fortunate that he did not damage his hand wound or the bandage surrounding it, yet he cried in emotional pain. As he continued his route, he made an anguished wish to the stars above, feeling that said wish wouldn't be answered no matter how badly he wanted it to be.

"A-Atsushi…" Kinshiro cried as he ambled at a slow pace towards home. "I… Why would you… You really… You really have no idea… what you're doing to me."


	17. Tidings of Manju

Chapter 17 – Tidings of _Manju_

"Let me guess… Atsushi got sick again?" Noriko eyed the pair suspiciously. En had taken Atsushi home, hoping that Noriko would pardon the tardiness. To En's misfortune, not only did she not pardon him, she read him the Riot Act.

"Yes." En tried his best to conceal what really made his boyfriend sick. "Noriko, I'm very sorry. I can assure you that it wasn't my fault."

"I know it wasn't your fault. But I can't have my brother constantly coming home past midnight! I care about him just as much as you do."

"I'm so sorry." En bowed low to prove his sincerity.

"Okay, I forgive you, as long as you promise to put more effort into making sure he comes home safe and sound. Now, Atsushi, how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good," Atsushi replied on his way to his room. "I think I can last a little wh- ouch…"

"What's wrong?" En checked the arrow wound that Atsushi had rubbed. "Your wound didn't reopen, I hope?"

"No, it just… hurts a little. It's fairly normal, so I'll be fine."

"Fine enough to attend the GSA field trip to Fukuoka tomorrow?"

"Yes, yes. You better head on home, or your parents are going to be angrier than Onee-san was."

"All right, if you insist." En departed his boyfriend with a kiss. "Rest up."

"I will. Good night!"

Shortly after En left the Kinugawa household, Atsushi performed a light cleaning of his room, thankful that there wasn't much to clean to begin with. The only thing that made his room particularly cluttered was the mess of condoms he took into his room from the night before. As he proceeded to put the last one in its box, he felt a sudden twinge of pain radiate from his arrow wound. "Ugh… That wound… Maybe I better go to the bathroom and take a look at it. I hope it didn't just get worse…"

What Atsushi saw in that mirror, however, proved him wrong. The previously miniscule scar had suddenly grown much bigger and reddened. It began to suppurate and bleed to the point where Atsushi considered asking Noriko to take him to the E.R. "No, that won't do. I'd have to explain to the doctors and Noriko how I got this wound, and I can't afford to do that. I just assured En-chan that everything would be okay, so calling him isn't an option either… That leaves just one person to consult."

Pressing the number "3" on speed dial, Atsushi cut right to the chase when the other person picked up the phone. "Kinshiro, I need you to come here right away!"

"What happened?"

"That arrow wound just got much worse. I really don't want to go to the E.R., and you're the only person left I want to talk to."

"Is that so? I'm three meters in front of your house."

"Really?" Atsushi rushed down the stairs and towards the front door.

"Yes."

"Ah…" Atsushi felt relieved to learn that, sure enough, Kinshiro stood there, with a first aid kit at the ready. "Thanks for coming by! Come in, quickly, before Onee-san notices you."

"Do you know what exactly could have made it worse?"

"No! It just started oozing pus and blood all of a sudden, and now it's starting to swell… It was a fairly minor wound when it happened, so I'm a bit-" Atsushi stopped in his room when he noticed Kinshiro grimacing. "Hey, Kinshiro, you all right?"

"I'm fine. I'm just a bit sensitive to graphic descriptions like that. I better get to treating your wound, then."

Though their moment appeared to be quite embarrassing, Kinshiro had managed to clean the wound and prevent any further suppuration. He felt relieved that, despite the ill news he heard at the infirmary, he could do something to aid such a dear friend, even if it was a fairly small deed. Heck, just _being_ with Atsushi bought calm to Kinshiro's heart.

"Thanks a ton, Kinshiro. You really are a life saver."

"I'm just glad I came when I did. I'd hate to think about what could have transpired if I didn't."

"Say… Kinshiro? Random question, can I ask you what set you off back at the infirmary?"

"I-I don't think I want to talk about that."

"But why not?" Atsushi managed to sit up, brushing a lock of silver hair from Kinshiro's face. "It really hurts to see you act like that, and if there's anything I can do, I'll assist."

"There is one thing you can do." Kinshiro took a deep breath, adoring the touch of Atsushi's hand to his face.

"And that is?"

"You'll find out in due time. I have a surprise for you, one that will make you much stronger than you already are. But for now, go to sleep."

"Sure, sure." Atsushi pulled the covers over his head.

Kinshiro wish that he didn't have to do the horrid thing that he had in mind. But considering what En had done to him, considering how he nearly crushed Kinshiro's heart… This idea was the perfect way to exact his revenge and get Atsushi to pay attention to him again. As Kinshiro began to ponder memories from his childhood, beginning with that first wishing star, Atsushi's sudden show of distress began to worry him. "Hey, Atsushi! What's going on?"

"Ugh… My stomach… hurts…" Atsushi cowered in nausea. "Really, really bad…"

"Hold on!" Kinshiro rushed for the medicine cabinet. "I'll get your antiemetics right away."

Though Kinshiro took fairly good care of Atsushi that night, En couldn't help but wonder if Atsushi spoke the truth when he insisted he could make it to the GSA trip – particularly when it was now the morning of said trip, and the bespectacled teen was nowhere to be found. It didn't help that a mere 30 minutes ago, En bragged to Heywood about all the things he would do with and to Atsushi.

"Yo, dawg!" Heywood called to En. "Where's your boyfriend? We've been ready to go for 20 minutes now!"

"Oh, he'll be here…" En spoke halfheartedly.

"Dang nabbit! We're not going to make the Pride Parade at the rate we're going!"

"Hey, calm down, Heywood. I'll call him right now and see what's keeping him."

Without bothering to excuse himself from Heywood, En dialed the home phone of the Kinugawa residence. It did not surprise him that Noriko was the one to answer. "Is that you, En? What do you need?"

"Hey there… Is Atsushi all right? Why didn't he come to school today?"

"And to think, I thought you were his boyfriend. I thought you'd know why he's so sick."

"I beg your pardon?" En's voice began to show apprehension. "He's sick?"

"Quite, actually. He's got a pretty bad case of explosive diarrhea. It's not bad enough to call 9-1-1, but it's still a lot for me to see. Luckily, one of Atsushi's friends is helping me take care of him."

"One of-" En was about to ask the name of this person, but surmised who it was. "Never mind. Do you know what caused the explosive diarrhea?"

"He's just complained about a wound in his butt. It suppurated and bled pretty bad last night, until Atsushi's friend treated it. Whatever's wrong with my brother, it's got me vexed…"

_The wound to the butt…_ En thought. _That was no ordinary arrow! It must have been seeped in poison._

"So, do you know what could have happened, En?"

"I do, but… Trust me, it's so bad that I could make an entire team of doctors squeamish with it."

"Well, I trust you, then. Have a nice day." With that, Noriko hung up.

"Ohhhh, boy…" En ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"So, is Kinugawa-sempai coming?" Io asked.

"That sigh didn't sound so good…" Yumoto noted. "What's wrong, Yufuin-sempai?"

"I'll tell you later, after we've gotten in the bus, so I can get some _manju_. Right now, I'll tell you that Atsushi can't come, because he's got explosive diarrhea."

"Yoicks!" Yumoto nearly dropped his handbag as he carried it onto the charter bus. "That's terrible. I remember getting really bad explosive diarrhea when I ate that bread mold."

"And you deserved it for being a dunderhead," En replied. "Nah, just kidding. Anyway, Noriko told me that Atsushi had been complaining about that butt wound. I think the arrow that hit him was a poisoned arrow."

"That makes sense," Io thought aloud as the charter bus began its journey. "I hope he gets better. If he had to go to the E.R., it would probably cost him more than he'd be willing to spend."

"True that." After several hours, En got hit by a strong craving for manju. Not wanting to think about how his boyfriend must be cowering in pain from explosive diarrhea, he turned to Justin, who had been in charge of bringing snacks for the trip. "Give me a box of _manju_, please!"

"Sure, sure." Justin reached for the bag below his seat. "I packed about 50% _manju_, knowing that it would be virtually the only thing you'd eat on this trip. …Funny how I say that, because I'm having a hard time finding _manju_ in here. Hold on a second…"

"Take your time." En watched Justin rummage through the sty he called a gym bag. In addition to the various snacks, he noticed a bunch of toiletries and condoms – not surprising, as Justin was one of many students who badgered Ryuu about condoms in gym class. What did surprise En, however, was the presence of rather dangerous items in that bag – a set of five arrows. "Hey, Justin, what are arrows doing in your bag?"

"Oh, shit…" Justin, who had just found a box of _manju_, swiftly covered the arrows. "Forget you saw that, okay?"

"You're going to get in big trouble if Kurotori-sensei sees that, you know!" Yumoto warned.

"Blah, blah, blah…" Heywood mocked. "Curiosity killed the cat!"

"I don't blame him!" Io intervened. "If you got caught with weapons, at your age, it's going to cost Binan High a massive lawsuit."

"Anything's okay as long as you don't get caught," Justin commented as the bus came to a complete stop. "Oh, my, we've almost chatted the day away! We're already here."

"About time, too." En stretched on his way out of the bus. "I would have probably hoarded all the _manju_ if I had to stay in that stuffy bus for much longer."

Not too long after Binan High's GSA arrived at a park filled with lush grass, En and his clubmates encountered a festive group of young men. Well-known symbols of the LGBT community decorated the park, further accented by chamomiles, cattails, and roses. A young man, dressed in naught but a pair of long red tights, approached En with his group of friends. "Why, hello there! You must be the secretary of Binan High's Gay-Straight Alliance. I'm Phuckdis Chit, president of the GSA at Fukuoka's Jiyuusenshi High School. How do you do?"

"Pleased to meet you." En shook the hand offered to him. "My name is Yufuin En."

"Oh, you're that Yufuin En that I've heard Kinugawa-sempai talk so much about!" the vice president cut in. "I'm Sum Ting Smelz, the VP of our GSA. Dear gods, you're sexier than I thought you'd be! Kinugawa-sempai's super lucky to have you, that's for sure. By the way, where is he?"

"He's out with explosive diarrhea," En replied. "Hopefully, nothing too serious."

"What a shame! I had a perfect outfit in mind for him, too." Sum whined as he showed En a dress studded with emeralds. "At least you all are in time for the Pride Parade. We've got several banners and flags, if you want to carry some."

"Thanks." En grabbed the largest flag that Phuckdis had, surprised to see a box of something right underneath it.

"Oh, I thought that would be a good present for you," Phuckdis noted. "It's _onsen manju_ from an _onsen_ that my older brother William runs. Just don't tell William, or he'll think I'm playing favourites."

"How kind of you." En stowed the _manju_ in his handbag, then took his place at the front of the parade line. "Is this whole parade just going to be tossing _manju_ at me or something?"

"Good things happen to good people!" Phuckdis grinned as the parade began its route. "If it wasn't for Yumoto and the rest of you at Binan High, we at Jiyuusenshi High would not have even formed a GSA. You in particular, Yufuin-sempai, are an inspiration. You slog through so many ordeals, armed only with your love for Kinugawa-sempai. You have our sincere gratitude."

"That's… some pretty deep stuff."

As the two continued their conversations on LGBT news and cute couples, the parade gradually began to slow down. Phuckdis took note of his vice president's worried expression, asking, "Sum, what's wrong? Don't tell me… ducks crossing the road? Chickens crossing the road? Cockroaches the size of puppies crossing the road?"

"No…" Sum shook a little. "It's far worse than that…"

Annoyed, Phuckdis took a few steps in front of his vice president, looking for what might be amiss. "I thought that that last one would really be bad. Nothing worse than cockroaches the size of… Oh, holy…"

"Eh?" En looked at what Phuckdis saw in the distance. The sight was far from pleasant, and the Battle Lover could tell that chaos was afoot.


	18. Prodosia

Chapter 18 – Prodosia

"Who the hell are you guys?" Phuckdis shouted. Several people carrying demeaning signs blocked the parade route, adding to those signs shouts of resentment. "Why are you in our way?"

"We're not going to let a bunch of homos run amok in Fukuoka!" the group leader shouted. "Get out of here, and stop propagating your filth!"

"You _do_ realize that we have freedom of speech and assembly, don't you?" Sum snarled.

"So do we!" a person holding four large signs at once shouted. "And our freedom of speech is telling you homosexuals that you're all going to hell!"

"Son of a…" Yumoto growled under his breath. "Dammit. The last thing we need on an otherwise pleasant field trip is a group of restless homophobes. The only thing that could possibly make any of this worse is-"

Before Yumoto could make his fear known, said fear came true when his Lovracelet buzzed.

"What was that, Yumoto?" Heywood asked.

"Oh, nothing!" Yumoto attempted to part ways with Heywood, hiding his hand behind his back. "I… uh… I got to go back to the bus and sort my socks!"

"Socks?" En followed Yumoto. "I love sorting socks!"

"I bet with the three of us, we can get them sorted in no time!" Io joined in.

"Sort your…" Heywood's voice trailed off as Yumoto, En, and Io left the parade. "But we're not staying at a hotel. Why on Earth did you bring socks?"

"Of all times to get a Lovracelet Alert!" En growled as he transformed into his Battle Lover form while his two comrades followed suit. "It better not have anything to do with those homophobes!"

"Oh, I bet it does," Sulfur answered on their way back to the parade. "Where there is lovelessness, there are Lovracelet Alerts."

"You're quite the bright one, aren't you?" answered a familiar voice from behind.

"Ack!" Cerulean nearly jumped in surprise. "Wombat! Tawarayama-sensei! Where did you come from?"

"We followed you on the bus," replied Wombat. "You didn't notice?"

"No."

"Well, at any rate, you Battle Lovers are going to have a hard time without Epinard or Vesta here to help you."

"Damn, you're right." Sulfur's face contorted as he wished dearly for the presence of the man he loved. "But what choice do we have? Look, the homophobes are already-"

"Surprised?" the homophobic group leader, now a monster that looked like an outlet plug, surrounded the Battle Lovers with his cohorts and a sword at the ready. "We're pretty quick on our feet. How unfortunate for you."

"Oh, yeah? Looks like someone needs the power of love!" Scarlet summoned his Love Stick. "Scarlet Lumiere!"

"You weren't listening, were you?" The Outlet Plug Monster evaded the attack easily. "We're so fast that we can dodge any attack that you homos launch at us!"

"Not only that, you're outnumbered!" The Outlet Plug Monster's deputy cackled. "Better surrender now while you have the chance."

"We're the Battle Lovers!" Cerulean shouted. "We're never going to surrender!"

"Ah, you…" The Outlet Plug Monster eyed Cerulean with interest. "You're Yufuin En, are you not?"

"A-And if I am?" Cerulean could not believe that anyone could see through Wombat's high technology.

"You care deeply about Kinugawa Atsushi, don't you?"

"Don't you dare get Atsushi into this!" Cerulean raised his Love Stick for a Random Splash, but the Outlet Plug Monster knocked the Love Stick out of the Flashing Prince's hands.

"Poor, poor Yufuin…" The Outlet Plug Monster grabbed Cerulean by the hair. "Your precious Atsushi is doing the most horrible things right now, and there's nothing you can do to stop him."

"What the hell are you getting at? Ow! Let go of my hair, you dick!"

"Just count your blessings that you're not there to see him in his current state." The Outlet Plug Monster whipped Cerulean on the back with a force that caused a giant welt.

"Argh!"

"Cerulean!" Sulfur jumped for his ally, but enemies held both Scarlet and him down. "No!"

"Not that it matters…" The Outlet Plug Monster drew a sword from the scabbard at his waist. "Because I'm going to gut you like a pig right this instant."

"Ah!" Cerulean flailed about as the sword approached his stomach. "No!"

Before the monster's sword could so much as cause a tear in Cerulean's clothes, a loud shout could be heard from behind. "I Am Awesome Fire!"

"Ow!" The Outlet Plug Monster jumped about in pain. "Fire, my greatest weakness! It burns!"

"There's only one person I know that has an attack name that absurd…" Sulfur thought hopefully as he saw a glorious sight before him. "Battle Lover Vesta!"

"Heh, sorry I'm late, guys!" Vesta apologized. "I hope he didn't cause a tear in that pretty tuxedo of yours, Cerulean-sempai."

"And I hope you didn't have to interrupt one of your dates to save my life!" Cerulean joked. "Thanks."

"Before we start celebrating…" Scarlet interrupted. "I though I'd like to mention that we have a boatload of enemies surrounding us right now!"

"That _would_ be a problem…" Cerulean noted the array of enemies around him and his allies. "We're probably outnumbered 10-to-1."

"I don't think I can save us from something like _this…_" Vesta voiced worry as the enemies drew closer. "Well, guys… Sorry that we have to die like-"

"Gwaaaaah!" The Outlet Plug Monster cried as an arrow impaled it.

"Oh…" Cerulean recognized the make of the arrows from the concert incident. "Could it be…?"

"So, it is…" Scarlet stepped back, letting his newfound allies do the fighting. "There's no doubt, they're from the concert."

"But why would they help us?" Sulfur asked as the last of the enemies were either slain or fled. "Especially considering that thanks to them, Epinard-sempai's got the worst case of explosive diarrhea?"

The apparent leader of the new ally group turned to look at Cerulean, then gestured as if to signify a wish for him to follow.

"What do you guys want?" Cerulean queried. "And why did you attack us at the Binan High concert? …Well, aren't you going to answer me?"

"Meet us back at Binan High," the leader replied. "There is a very, very grave situation that we must take care of thence. After the matter is settled, we will talk."

"B-But…" Vesta attempted to stop the leader, but gave up quickly. "Blast. I suppose we're just going to have to listen to the guy, huh?"

"That's true…" Sulfur commented as the Battle Lovers made way for the charter bus. "Say, Vesta, how on Earth did you get here? And don't tell me that you came as part of the GSA's field trip, Mr. I-Don't-Have-Time-To-Deal-With-Queers."

"I was just visiting family in the area, that's all," Vesta started. "…And I also came to apologize."

"Eh?"

"I came to apologize for being the ass that I've been. I'm sorry for rejecting you like an ass, I'm sorry for treating you like an ass, I'm sorry for just being an ass!"

"Ryuu…" The corners of Sulfur's eyes became damp with tears of joy. "Th-Thank you…"

"D-Don't take it the wrong way!" Vesta's face turned red. "This doesn't mean… that I... have a crush on you… or anything weird like that. H-Hey, wipe that grin off your face!"

"No can do." Sulfur did not stop his grin as the Battle Lovers mounted the bus. "Especially since your embarrassed look is just flat-out adorable."

The jovial mood lasted quite some time as Cerulean drove the bus all the way back to Binan High, as the new ally leader suggested. As soon as they got there in several hours, however, he quickly learned what the leader had meant by a "very grave situation." The school was littered with broken arrows, and some sections of the school were blocked off so firefighters could do their jobs. It angered the Flashing Prince that despite an effort to look for whatever might have caused such pandemonium, the only thing he could find was a dagger with an image of the Shinto god Fujin inscribed into it.

"Hey, Cerulean-sempai!" Scarlet had just finished a fruitless search. "Any clues?"

"Just this dagger."

"What a beautiful dagger." Sulfur took the dagger and examined it. "It's made of very fine silver and jade. If I sold it, I could probably fetch well over ¥10000000."

"That hardly matters." Cerulean sighed. "It's nearly worthless if it can't help us in our current situation."

"Hey, did someone find my Hurricane Dagger?" called out a familiar voice.

"Who…?" Cerulean turned around, hoping to see what he thought he would see. Sure enough, the voice turned out to be from the source he knew it would be from. "Atsushi! Why are you out here? I thought you had explosive diarrhea."

"Not anymore," Epinard assured. "The Chevalier Aurite helped me."

"Eh… Who?" Cerulean cocked his head in confusion.

"I didn't know you were friends with nobles, Epinard-sempai." Sulfur commented.

"Oh, but I am…" Epinard began as he reclaimed the Hurricane Dagger from the Roaring Prince. His expression as he did so brought unto Sulfur a mysterious fear, exacerbated when Epinard suddenly turned the dagger on his allies. "The rulers of this blue world are going to take over the Earth!"

"E-Epinard?!" Sulfur jumped back, barely avoiding Epinard's attack. "What's gotten into you? Did the explosive diarrhea get to your head?"

"Oh, quite the contrary!" sounded a cool voice from the air. "Your precious little Epinard is no longer yours, Battle Lovers, and he never will be again."

"What the…?" Cerulean looked up, astounded to see a person that he hated very much. "Kinshiro?"

"That's Chevalier Aurite, the knight that shines brightly, to you, scum!" Aurite announced as his allies, the Chevaliers Argent and Perlite, flanked him. "By order of the great Lord Zundar, we're going to fill this world with so much hate that you'll wish never having been born in it."

"Like hell you will!" Cerulean attempted to calm himself as he called out to Epinard. "Atsushi… Atsushi, come back to me."

"…" Epinard, rather than replying with words, simply held his dagger in his hand firmly.

"Dearest Epinard… Do your dear friend a favour and go rough up some Battle Lovers, please?" Aurite ordered.

"Consider it done, sir." With that, Epinard quickly descended upon Cerulean with a dagger strike.

"Hey!" Cerulean stooped low to avoid the attack, blocking it with his Love Stick. "Atsushi?! What the heck is going on?"

"Must… Must attack… En-chan…" Epinard spoke as if his voice were not his own.

"Aren't I just perfect?" Aurite bragged. "Your poor little boyfriend is now under my complete command and will do anything I tell him to. Heck, he'd jump off the Golden Gate Bridge if I so wished."

"Screw you!" Cerulean barrel rolled out of the way. "I'm not going to fight you, Atsushi! I refuse."

"But you're going to die, En-chan, if you just stand there…"

"Epinard-sempai, wake up!" Vesta shouted, launching an I Am Awesome Fire at Epinard. "Aurite's got you under his control, can't you see that?"

"Ah, you…" Epinard now turned his complete attention to Vesta. "The guy who constantly brags about dates with girls, but is never seen with one. That behaviour is annoying and simply unacceptable."

"Urk…" Vesta backed off from Epinard, who now threatened him with another dagger attack.

"I'll teach you…" Epinard began as he pointed the dagger at Vesta, "what I do to your ilk. Impure filth like you doesn't deserve to exist. Prepare to die."

As Epinard was about to generate a small cyclone with his Hurricane Dagger, Sulfur made a sudden and bold move, jumping in from of Vesta mere moments before it was set to strike. Not weighing very much, the Roaring Prince utilized much strength in holding his balance, nearly keeling over as he protected Vesta. "Get your filthy hands off of him!"

"Heh." Epinard pushed hard against Sulfur's Love Stick with the Hurricane Dagger. "Is that how you treat an ally?"

"I don't care if you're a friend of ours or not." Sulfur glared at Epinard, managing to push him backwards. "If you threaten Vesta's life, I will make sure you get the living shit beaten out of you."

"Sulfur!" Vesta couldn't bear to watch his friend do such horrible things anymore. "Stop it right now! I Am Awesome Fire!"

"Argh!" Epinard, known for his vulnerability to fire, jumped back. "Damn, I can't believe I let an imbecile hurt me like this…"

"Epinard, that's enough! Come back to me," Aurite ordered.

"Yes, sir." Epinard did as he was told. "Hmph. The lot of you gets to keep your heads for today. Consider yourselves lucky! Hahahahahaha!"

With a resounding cackle, Epinard and the members of Caerula Adamas fled in disregard of the mess that they left behind. Fortunately, the Battle Lovers did not take much damage – at least physically. En simply sat there in complete bewilderment of what he had encountered, hoping that it was not a true sight. "A-Atsushi… Atsushi, what happened to you… You're not really an enemy now, are you? It… It just can't be…"

"Yufuin-sempai…" Io knelt in an attempt to console his _sempai_. "Forgive me for treating Kinugawa-sempai so terribly. But I had to do what I did for Ryuu's sake."

"Io…" Ryuu, in a surprise twist, embraced the Battle Lover from behind. "Thank you for protecting me. Although I must say this… If Kinugawa-sempai did anything to you, I think my heart would sink…"

"Oh?" Io turned around, his dampened mood lightened by Ryuu's words. "Do I take that as a sign that you…"

"No, I don't!" Ryuu insisted. "I'm not… At least I don't think… Er… Well, anyway, the fact of the matter is that Kinugawa-sempai is now under the enemy's control. We're going to have our hands full trying to get him back. Any ideas, Yufuin-sempai?"

"No, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get Atsushi back," En answered. "I just wish we had a little help… Say, didn't those weird allies from before say they were going to tell us more about themselves? Maybe they can help us."

"We most certainly will be willing to help you!" answered a cheerful voice. "And we always keep our promises once they're made."

"Who…" En turned around to see the one who led the attack at the concert. "Ack! You didn't come to finish us off, did you?"

"Oh, quite the contrary," replied the leader as he stood alongside his fighters. "We want to tell you more about who we are and why we want to help you. This isn't the best place for such delicate discussion, though… Why don't we meet at Kurotama Bath House?"

"Sure… You guys first," En offered. When the odd group was out of sight, he wondered aloud, "Kurotama Bath House? Why would he want to talk there?"

"I don't know," En answered as he and the other Chikyuubouei-bu members walked to Kurotama. "But whatever it's about, it's got to be very serious. And if it can help us bring back Atsushi, I will be all ears."


	19. Blessing of the Stars

Chapter 19 – Blessing of the Stars

"All right, oddball." En sat in the bath as his new ally, who refused to remove his clothes, did the same. "Spill it. Who the heck are you guys?"

"You have a lot of nerve, not only dodging us all the time, but also nearly killing us at the concert." Io scowled. "You don't know how lucky you are that we're willing to talk to you."

"And why aren't you taking of your clothes?" Yumoto asked, annoyed. "It's common sense to undress when you go in the bath!"

"Oh, forgive me." The leader began to divest, removing his mask last. "But we couldn't show our true identities out there, lest we get in trouble with the police."

"Oh my gods…" Yumoto gaped upon seeing the true identities of the masked people. "Kurotori-sensei?"

"Guys…" Kurotori knelt, hanging his head in shame. "I cannot express how regretful I am to have caused all of you such harm at the concert. No excuse I can give will be sufficient enough, but nonetheless I offer you my most sincere apologies."

"We will forgive you," En began, "if you tell us why you attacked us in the first place, and who the heck you guys really are."

"First of all, we thought that you guys were agents of Caerula Adamas," Heywood began to answer. "We surmised that the concert was a way for them to brainwash the masses, especially with that song that Akoya – the one known as Chevalier Perlite – played."

"You hate the Caerula Adamas guys, too? Yay!" Yumoto gave Heywood a hug. "We're really great friends, then. You all deserve lots of cuddles for being so cool."

"How convenient of you to know their true identities, too," Io remarked. "But how did find out about them? Moreover, how did you manage to hide your skills with weapons all this time?"

"We're just trying hard to keep a heavily guarded secret," Heywood began, "but we can tell you guys, since we now know you're allies. You see, our families have trained with weapons since the Middle Ages just in case Caerula Adamas decided to launch a great offensive. Now that that time has come, we've been forced to do battle. You have no idea how glad we are to have you Battle Lovers on our side."

"Wait, wait, wait…." Wombat cut in. "Did you say 'great offensive?' 'Trained with weapons?' Such violence is so crude! The Battle Lovers can't afford to do something that will spread hate rather than love."

"Yet even as we speak, Caerula Adamas is working hard to prevent love from occurring anywhere," Justin replied. "Fighting them with weapons is the only way to truly stop them. Not only that, but they've got the Battle Lover Epinard under their control. You know full well that the Battle Lover team is not complete without him."

"And I'm not complete without him, either…" En's face etched with sadness. "All right, we'll work with you guys, if it means having Atsushi by my side again. Any ideas?"

"It seems that the Chevalier Aurite, whose true name is Kusatsu Kinshiro, is the one pulling the strings," Kurotori replied. "At all costs, we must defeat him in order to get Epinard back."

"Wh-What?!" Yumoto exclaimed in horror. "That bad guy was really Kusatsu-sempai?"

"I don't see why that's a problem," En smirked. "I, for one, have always hated that bastard's guts. Knowing that he's the one responsible for Atsushi's capture, I can't wait to have his head."

"But it can't be!" Yumoto began to cry. "I don't want to fight him! I… I just can't… Just when I began to realize what he meant to me… Just when I began to realize that I didn't just think he was cool…"

"Yumoto…" Io attempted to console Yumoto. "Don't tell me… that you've fallen in love with Kusatsu-sempai?"

"Sniff…" Yumoto turned to Io to cry into his shoulder. "Waaaah!"

"It appears that this war is going to take a toll on everyone, regardless of who gets killed and who survives," Io noted. "We've got a sticky situation on our hands."

"You're not going to survive much longer, Io, if you're constantly battered like that." Ryuu arose to get Io to sit down. "Here. Why don't I give you a back massage to make you feel better?"

"Oh… Ah, yes, that really hits the spot." Io relished the feel of Ryuu's hands on his back, letting the touches alleviate the pain.

"Well, aren't you the lucky one, Io?" En frowned. "You get to have your lover massage your back, when my lover is kilometers away from me."

"Don't talk like that, Yufuin-sempai!" Ryuu scolded. "He's not my lover!"

"Uh-huh, suuuuuure." Io giggled. "Because you give back massages to those Efyu girls all the time."

"I just hope that Atsushi is all right…" En looked out to the window, saddened that there were no stars on which to make wishes. "As long as he's alive, I will not lose hope."

The stars in the sky only showed themselves after En gave up hope in wishing that they were there. For Kinshiro, however, the stars could not have come at a better time. His wishes have been answered, and he had his dearest friend at his side once again. It did worry him that Zundar had come down with a cold, though. Nonetheless, Kinshiro felt overjoyed that Atsushi finally began to talk to him and pay him heed.

"Oy…" Atsushi, feeling exhausted from the fight on the previous day, reclined in Kinshiro's bed. "I'm absolutely bushed. Worst of all, I don't know why. Kinshiro, do you have any idea what happened?"

"None whatsoever." Kinshiro simpered, wishing that he didn't have to craft such an awful lie. "Can I get you something? Water, perhaps?"

"No, thank you. Not to offend you, but I am pretty bored. After I've rested up a bit, why don't we go somewhere?"

"Y-You're asking _me_ that?" Kinshiro blushed in disbelief of Atsushi's assertiveness.

"Yes, you. I'll be glad to go wherever you like."

_Oh, gods and stars above…_ Kinshiro felt an outpouring of love and joy from the night sky. _Thank you… A thousand thank yous. _

"Actually, scratch that." Atsushi arose. "I'm in the mood to go now."

"You're not too tired?" Kinshiro asked as he followed Atsushi out the door.

"Maybe a little bit… But I know that while I spend time with you, I'll feel like my tiredness never existed."

"That's far too kind of you." Kinshiro relished how Atsushi now treated him. He didn't give two figs that the next day, Atsushi could turn back into a soulless shell with only thoughts to kill the Battle Lovers and nothing else. This current moment, the togetherness they shared at one of Atsushi's favourite restaurants, was more than Kinshiro had ever wished upon the stars.

"You really know my tastes, Kinshiro." Atsushi admired the traditional Japanese scenery and culture that he hadn't got so much exposure to lately. "The curry in this place is simply amazing, especially the very spicy curry. When the waiter comes by I think I'll-"

"Here you are!" The waiter interrupted, bringing the pair's orders swiftly. "Two very spicy curries and two Cabernet Sauvignon drinks."

"How the heck did you order wine, when you're underage?"

"It's just fake wine." Kinshiro took a sip. "Contrary to how I look, I can't get away with anything I want, you know."

"Yeah, right." Atsushi shook his head with a grin. "Knowing you, you could probably steal all the condoms in Binan High, and nobody would notice."

This latest comment from Atsushi spurred a blush from Kinshiro, who stammered, "…Not that I would find any use for them, anyway."

"Eh, heh…" Atsushi wish he made no mention of condoms – not in an awkward situation like this. What made it more awkward was the fact that he didn't have curry in what felt like decades, because lately it seemed that all he ate was Greek food. Atsushi wasn't sure why he had been eating Greek food, other than the fact that his elder sister was a die-hard Hellenophile. It almost felt as if Greek food really meant something to him because a dear friend made it for him everyday with so much love… Why couldn't he remember who it was?

After dinner hand ended, and Kinshiro paid for everything as insisted, he had no particular destination in mind.

"How about the park?" Atsushi suggested.

"That sounds good. Which one?"

"I don't care which, as long as it's fairly close."

"Oh, look." Kinshiro pointed to a park filled with roses and lavenders.

"I know this park well." Atsushi spoke as he knelt by a rose and smelled it. "They call it Minasama no Ai. I've been here before, and in my last visit, my heart raced as I made my feelings known."

The last few words that Atsushi uttered brought nervousness unto Kinshiro. "That couldn't have been… a love confession?"

"I don't know," Atsushi answered. "Quite frankly, I don't remember what wonderful thing transpired here. I just remember it being one the best nights of my life."

"Just like tonight is one of the best nights of _my_ life," Kinshiro muttered without thinking.

"Eh?" Atsushi, interested in what Kinshiro had to say, arose. "What was that?"

"Yoicks…" _I see I still haven't learned to still my tongue... But since the die is cast, I might as well tell him already._ "Atsushi… Why did you agree to go on this outing with me?"

"Because I thought I could use some relief from all this boredom I've been feeling lately. More importantly, though…" Atsushi approached Kinshiro, a serious look on his face. "You have seemed so stressed of late, and I wanted to make you feel better."

"Oh…" Kinshiro's heart began to race, not caring anymore whether or not Atsushi could hear it. Whatever it took to communicate his feelings to Atsushi, he was more than willing to make it happen.

"Kinshiro? Are you okay? Why are you blushing?"

"Atsushi…" Kinshiro resented that Atsushi was oblivious to indirect messages, and now resorted to confessing outright. "We've been friends for so long, and ever since our childhood, I've made a wish upon the stars that I could have the chance to tell you what I've always wanted to tell you… Atsushi… Atsushi, I lo-"

Before Kinshiro could make his confession complete, he noticed that the glint in Atsushi's eyes had disappeared. The liveliness in Atsushi's disposition had disappeared too, and the bespectacled teen didn't appear to want to talk. "Atsushi, are you okay?"

"I suppose…" Atsushi spoke in a nearly monotonous voice. "Give me your next orders. I want to rough up the Battle Lovers so bad that they'll regret having ever messed with us."

"Sigh… Go back to headquarters immediately and rest up. We will attack the Battle Lovers and their allies tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." With that, Atsushi transformed into Epinard, swiftly making his way back to Caerula Adamas headquarters.

Rather than follow Epinard, Kinshiro stood by the lavenders, cursing his inability to speak when important words needed to be spoken. In the midst of his thoughts, Zundar popped out of Kinshiro's pocket, saying, "Thank goodness I'm finally over that cold. Now we can continue to use Epinard to meet our ends."

"Your timing couldn't have been any worse, Zundar-sama. I was going to tell Atsushi something important, but then you…"

"Kinshiro… You do know that what you feel for that boy is wrong, don't you? Such feelings are only going to impede your ability to take over the world."

"Be that as it may…" Kinshiro's face contorted in sadness as he began his route to Caerula Adamas headquarters, "I... I merely want to be near Atsushi… He is… my everything."

"Just don't forget that you have world domination to keep in mind."

"Yes, Zundar-sama…" Kinshiro silently lamented to the stars, wishing that they had given him better fortune and courage. But for giving him the chance to bond with Atsushi again, renewing their friendship if only a little, Kinshiro could only give words of thanks.


	20. Lukewarm Spring

Notes: As a "warning," Chapters 20-22 are going to focus on IoRyuu. There will be almost no EnAtsu whatsoever, expect perhaps references to "En's boyfriend" and such. That said, this is primarily an EnAtsu fanfic, so the EnAtsu is going to be strong again starting in Chapter 23.

Chapter 20 – Lukewarm Spring

I love dates, I really do. There's nothing more exciting than hanging out with a cute girl, showing her off to everyone I meet, and then bragging about it to my luckless single classmates the next day. I revel in this shit day in and day out, and it never gets tiring!

…So why in the hell was I bored out of my mind now, despite the fact that the date in front of me was supposedly the most popular girl at Efyu High School, Yuri Nate?

"So then…" Yuri ran that mouth of hers. "You won't believe what happened! My cat… and then… my grandmother…"

I didn't bother to give a flying fuck about what this airhead had to say about her cat or her grandmother or whatever other monotonous subject she picked. It's people like this that made me wish certain people had a remote control – complete with a mute button. I thought that the lack of enemy activity lately would be refreshing for me, but all it did was bring me this utter bore for a date.

Not that this would actually happen, not in a million years… but just for kicks, I decided to imagine a certain financial wizard I knew in Yuri's place. All of a sudden, my boredom disappeared as if by magic. He engaged my undivided attention, despite the fact that a group of the sexiest girls just passed by. His smile as he spoke in that dreamy voice of his warmed my heart until I felt that warmth throughout my entire being. As he placed his hand on mine, my racing heart demanded that I make my feelings known straight away or else…

Or else what? What feelings were I thinking about? Shit, why the hell was I having such a crazy fantasy in the first place?!

"Argh!" I exclaimed, roughing up my hair until my headband nearly broke. "I'm not in love with you, Io!"

"Eh?" Yuri looked at me in disbelief. "What ever are you talking about, Ryuu?"

"Crap…" I nearly glared at Yuri, aghast that I had to embarrass us in front of an extremely nosy crowd. …Actually, scratch that. I couldn't possibly embarrass myself if my date was never interesting to begin with. Still, my position as the most popular guy at Binan High demanded that I at least left Yuri with somewhat of a kind word. "Sorry, Yuri. I just… I'm not feeling myself lately. I'm sorry to have done this to you."

"But why?" Yuri asked as she chased me out of the café. "You looked very interested in our date."

Did I now? Yet another girl-catching skill of mine to be proud of. "Believe me, if I told you, you'd have a shit fit over it."

"You have a crush on someone, don't you?"

"…" I didn't want to confirm or deny anything, but…

"I knew it! I bet it's that Io guy you've been talking about almost incessantly since we started this date. You know, if you told me that you were attracted to guys, I would have given you a bit more sympathy."

I couldn't believe that this girl would jump to such outrageous conclusions. "N-No! It's not true! Sorry, Yuri, but I really got to go. Good night!"

With that, I bolted as fast as I could; like hell I knew what direction. My fast feet soon led me to Minasama no Ai Park and its field of roses and lilacs. It annoyed me to no end that people were constantly questioning my sexuality, when I couldn't even define it myself. But more than that, I constantly beat around the bush when it came to my feelings for Io. Oh, well… Maybe sitting by these lovely lilacs and intaking their scent will give me some ideas.

* * *

"Oh, shit!" I exclaimed in horror of what just transpired on my laptop. In my rage, I nearly knocked over everyone's water bottles in the Chikyuubouei-bu meeting room.

"Let me guess, you lost about ¥1 in profits?" Yufuin-sempai halfheartedly guessed.

That kind of sarcasm was simply intolerable. Not that that blockheaded Yufuin-sempai could ever understand the intricacies of the stock market. "It's far, far worse than that! I just lost over ¥100000 in stocks! Dear gods, what am I going to do…"

"What a stupid thing to get your panties in a knot over," Yufuin-sempai derided as he ate probably his fiftieth piece of _manju_ for the day.

"I am so screwed over…" I lamented in Greek – a habit I tended to exude when in distress. "Not only that, but I still haven't completed that webpage for that transgender rights group… I am in really deep shit."

"I get the feeling that that's not the only reason you're in distress, Io," Yufuin-sempai told me. "You want to tell me what's up?"

I thanked my lucky stars that Yufuin-sempai and I could speak a language that the other Chikyuubouei-bu members couldn't understand – especially since what I had in mind was a rather delicate topic. "It's about Ryuu. He apparently dumped his date last night over some very petty matter. I heard that my name was used in their discussion somewhere… The mere notion that I could have hurt Ryuu's popularity is making my head spin."

"Maybe he deserves it. Someone's got to tell Ryuu that he's not king of the world. And I thought that you two were patching things up?"

"Yeah, but…" I fumbled a card in an envelope in my hand. "This envelope has a first edition signed baseball card of Pahmpis B. Ahtch, Ryuu's favourite athlete. What's more, I also bought a box of expensive dark chocolate covered cherries for him, and I've held onto both since White Day. Wouldn't you know me, though, for being too chicken to give them to him on White Day! I've spent over ¥1000000000 on something that will never be put to good use."

"There, there, my man." Yufuin-sempai patted my back. "Here's an idea. Why don't you try asking him out?"

"That's absurd! I can't do it – I just can't."

"But he's obviously showing signs that he might be into you… Why else would he tell you that 'his heart would sink' if he lost you, or give you such an intimate back massage that he's never done to anyone – not even a girl?"

"Okay, okay…" I gave in. Once Yufuin-sempai got an idea (which hardly ever happens anyway), he would make that idea work no matter what it took. "Though I must warn you that I've been single my whole life and don't know the first thing about asking someone out."

"I've got just the thing to make all of that easier for you. Hang on." Yufuin-sempai retrieved a mystery envelope from his handbag. "In there, you're going to find two home dugout-side tickets to an upcoming San Francisco Peacocks exhibition game. There's also free tickets to go to that snowboarding slope, as well as coupons for that LGBT-themed café down the str-"

"Okay, thanks… Where did you get the money for all of this, anyway? Moreover, why are you doing it for me?"

"Well, first of all, I have a little something called connections." Yufuin-sempai winked. "Secondly, you've had the emotional crap beaten out of you lately, and I thought you could use help. That, and I think you've spent quite enough on the card and cherries."

"Thanks a ton, then." I gave Yufuin-sempai a fist bump. "I'll be sure your monetary sacrifices aren't wasted."

"Hey, what the hell are you guys talking about?" Ryuu growled, unable to understand a word of what we were saying. "You know, it's considered rude to talk about someone in a language they can't understand. How would you feel if I ranted about you guys in Chinese?"

"It wouldn't mean anything, that's what," I answered as I took a drink of milk. "You're the only student in all of Binan High who speaks Chinese, so you'd essentially be talking to yourself."

"How fitting," Yufuin-sempai continued in Greek, as if to further tease Ryuu. "Such a behaviour would show all of Binan High what a simpleton you really are."

"Stop it!" Ryuu hit Yufuin-sempai with his Fruit Ninja pillow.

"Okay, okay, fine…" Yufuin-sempai finally reverted to Japanese. "Simpleton. If you'll excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom."

"I need to go, too," Yumoto spoke up after surprisingly staying quiet throughout the entire meeting.

Before leaving, Yufuin-sempai turned back to me speaking in Greek, "If you wanted to have a golden opportunity to ask Ryuu out, now's the time. Go get 'em, tiger!"

With that, Yufuin-sempai and Yumoto left the Chikyuubouei-bu meeting room, leaving an awkward privacy between me and that simpleton Ryuu.

"Ugh, what a buttmunch…" Ryuu snarled at the exit door. "I hope you guys weren't throwing insults at me or something. Well, at least it's good to see that he isn't _totally_ down in the dumps, especially since his boyfriend just got abducted."

"Yes, yes…" Yufuin-sempai, you were right when you said that this was a golden opportunity to ask Ryuu out. But you also forget that I am terrible at dealing with uncomfortable situations like this. In an attempt to at least make small talk, I offered Ryuu a drink of my milk. "Would you care for some?"

"I suppose so." Ryuu accepted the milk, but not before retrieving a bottle of pills from his handbag. "Luckily, I actually remembered my lactase pills today. I've been forgetting them on my dates, and it's beyond embarrassing to have to explain to those girls that I'm lactose intolerant."

You don't have to remind me of that, Ryuu. I remembered to get you dark chocolate covered cherries, which have virtually no lactose. Ah, there it is – the perfect segue into asking him out! "Say, Ryuu…"

"Eh?" Ryuu took a pause from nearly guzzling the milk that I gave him.

"Did you give any chocolates on White Day?"

"No, why?"

"That's what I should be asking you!"

"Well…" Ryuu stammered, as if he had something meaningful to say. "It's because… that none of my dates lately have been that interesting."

"What?" Ryuu, the supposed playboy of Binan High, finds dates with the most popular Efyu High girls boring? What is the world coming to? "Why would that be?"

"…I don't know. I guess it's because they're simply uninteresting. My date last night was just the worst! I was nearly bored to tears."

I'm glad I wasn't there to see it, then.

"But…" Ryuu's face turned red. "When I imagined a certain stock market genius in her place, everything instantly felt better. Just the thought of that guy made my heart feel alight, and I felt like I could have been entertained for hours."

Holy mother of the gods. Ryuu, that milk must be getting to your head to give you such bizarre things to say. Could you actually be acknowledging… that you are interested in me? If there's even the slightest chance, then I…

"I figured that I could finally make this dream a reality," Ryuu continued in his shaky voice., "if that stock market genius is willing to go out with me."

At this declaration, I wanted to jump to high heaven in utter euphoria. There's no way under the sun that those words from the lips of the very straight Zaou Ryuu could be real, could they? Without a second thought, I replied, "Yes, this stock market genius is willing to go out with you! I've got a bunch of places in mind that I'm sure you'll love, too."

"Thanks… Luckily for you, I don't have anywhere to go for the entire week, so we can go whenever you like."

"How does tomorrow sound?" I asked, as the baseball game tickets were for tomorrow.

"…Fine. Whatever you say."

"Yay!" I quickly packed my things as Ryuu and I left Chikyuubouei-bu meeting room.

"…Whatever." Ryuu's blushing face was so cute that I wanted to kiss it. But I halted myself, for I knew that there will be plenty of time for that kind of intimacy tomorrow – if the adorable Zaou Ryuu would open his heart enough to let me.


	21. Heat of Summer

Notes: Fairly major edition as of 3/17. I am now pairing Sachiko and Heywood with different characters. You can thank episode 11 for that.

Chapter 21 – Heat of Summer

"Ryuu!" Io hollered as he made his way for his Mercedes, which he had taken to Ryuu's house. "Are you almost ready?"

"Just a second!" Ryuu scrambled about, feeling that he had a hundred things to pack before he could walk out the door. Calling to his 8-year-old brother, he asked in Chinese, "Yoshi, have you seen my outfielder gloves?"

"Takumi has them. He's going to be in Binan High next year and has been practicing for the baseball team."

"Without my permission?" Ryuu growled as he headed for the backyard, annoyed at what his 14-year-old brother had done. "That buttmunch is going to get it… Takumi!"

"Yoicks!" Takumi, who nearly dropped the ball his friend threw to him, jumped. "That voice means I'm in big trouble…"

"Care to explain why you're using my gloves?"

"Because… I needed them?"

Ryuu didn't buy the feigned innocence in his brother's voice. "Then get your own damn baseball gloves! Ugh!"

"Take a chill pill, dude! …Wait a minute, this doesn't have anything to do with that baseball game you're going to with your date?"

"I would appreciate it if you learned to mind your own business." Ryuu turned away as he reclaimed his gloves, wishing he could get away with hitting Takumi with them.

"Ooh-HOO!" Takumi whistled, as did his friend. "So, is she finally going to be the one you call your girlfriend?"

"..."

"Well, good luck and all that!" Takumi gave his elder brother a congratulatory pat on the back. "You better hope you don't encounter me and my date later, or there could be trouble, haha."

"Whatever." In complete disregard of that last sentence, Ryuu rushed out the door, but not before crashing into a group of three people. "Ouch! Watch where you're- Oh, crud… Mom, Dad, Tsuyoshi, I'm so sorry!"

"Where are you headed off to in such a hurry?" Mrs. Zaou questioned.

Ryuu didn't like the deep interest his mother took in his social life. "Um… I… I'm taking a cute girl out on a date?"

"_Again?_"

"Now, now!" Mr. Zaou's jovial voice brought to Ryuu a sense of relief. "I don't see anything wrong with Ryuu being popular with the girls. He reminds me of me in my younger days! Haha."

"Oh, stop it, dear." Mrs. Zaou gave her husband a playful slap. "You're filling his head with crazy ideas."

As Ryuu's parents sat down to watch the news on the couch, his 23-year-old brother approached him shyly. "Have fun… I guess."

"You okay, Tsuyoshi? You sound like someone just gave you an earful about the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus."

"Yeah… I'm just very tired, that's all."

"If you say so." Ryuu sensed that his brother didn't speak the truth, but let the matter slide. Worried that Io had begun to wonder about the stocks he could be looking at whilst waiting for him, Ryuu finally made it to Io's Mercedes with everything ready.

"Oh, good," Io began as he started the car for ballpark. "If the traffic is any good, we can make it by the first pitch."

"Damn…" Ryuu growled, despite the fact that the traffic was indeed very good. "I wanted to make it by batting practice so I could maybe catch a ball hit by Pahmpis B. Ahtch."

"Aw, don't act like that," Io reassured as he and Ryuu made their way past a rather congested crowd to their ballpark seats. "Hey, if I catch a foul ball or home run hit by Pahmpis, you owe me a kiss on the cheek."

"…Whatever." In his temporary embarrassment, Ryuu spotted an ice cream stand near his seat. Instantly dismissing Io's silly suggestion, he demanded, "Oh my gods! They've got cherry ice cream! Get me some, pretty please, Io?"

"It's amazing what cherries can do to you." Io shook his head with a smile, giving the ice cream to a rather ecstatic Ryuu.

"And before you ask…" Ryuu retrieved a bottle of lactase pills. "I came prepared."

"Glad to hear it," Io remarked as he and Ryuu barely made it to their seats before first pitch. He couldn't help but sneak a few spoonfuls of the ice cream from Ryuu, and to Io's surprise, Ryuu did not protest.

"I'm not going to let history repeat itself," Ryuu spoke in between bites of ice cream. "The last time I let someone cute offer me ice cream, I had to turn them down because I forgot my lactase pills. Now I get to share ice cream with someone, no issue."

"Why, thank you for your compliment." Io looked up briefly as a high foul ball was hit. "Someone thinks I'm cute. Heheh."

"I would watch my words if I were you, fool." Ryuu snarled, now guarding the bowl of ice cream from Io.

"And I would watch what's above me…" Io noticed that the foul ball was a lot closer than it seemed.

"Eh?"

"Ryuu, watch out!" To guard Ryuu from a plunk to the face, Io reached two arms in front of the pink-haired buffoon, thankful that the foul ball hit neither of them. In fact, it didn't even hit the floor… "Thank the gods that you didn't get bruised or anything. Say, did you see where the ball went? I wonder if it ricocheted off my arm and into a trash can, and now there's a big free-for-all as to who's going to get it… Hey, why is everyone cheering?"

"Congratulations, dude!" a nearby Peacocks fan cheered. "You caught the ball."

"What a wonderful catch by one of the fans!" the announcer sounded as the ballpark T.V. now focused on Io and Ryuu. "I'd hate to see what would happen to his friend if he didn't catch it… Whoa!"

A gasp resounded across the entire ballpark as in broad daylight, with the entire crowd to see on the ballpark T.V., Io planted a kiss on the cheek of a very embarrassed Ryuu.

"Aw, cuuute!" A yaoi fangirl sitting next to Ryuu squealed after the hoopla died down a little. "Let me tell you that in the 162 baseball games I've been to with my boyfriend, neither of us have ever caught a foul ball or home run. Nothing like catching a foul ball for your boyfriend! Congrats."

"You're going to pay for that later," Ryuu spoke in a slight growl as even when the game resumed, yaoi fangirls still shot very interested looks in his direction.

"Yeah, I'm going to pay for it later, as in 'I'm going to give you a foul ball that I worked hard to get,' and 'I gave you a bowl of cherry ice cream.' You're welcome!"

"That ice cream was very good… And Pahmpis B. Ahtch was the one who hit the foul ball. Okay, fine, but if you do it again, I'm going to hit you with my Fruit Ninja pillow."

Io disregarded this advice, however, as the ballpark T.V. didn't seem to want to leave him and Ryuu alone. Reveling in the attention he got, Io continued to tease Ryuu with multiple kisses to the cheek and side hugs. Even after the game had ended with a Peacocks victory, Ryuu continued to hit Io with that Fruit Ninja pillow, and to his chagrin that only spurred more squeals from the yaoi fangirls. To make matters worse for Ryuu (but better for Io), those squeals followed him all the way to the snowboarding slope. Ryuu's only consolation was that there was no huge T.V. to broadcast every humiliating moment… at least to the best of his knowledge.

"What are they, stalkers?" Ryuu muttered as he prepared to go down a 55-meter slope. "Seriously… The lengths to which fujoshis go to get their fill. It's creepy. And you, Io! You don't seem to be daunted one bit. Wipe that grin off your face before I do it for you."

"You can't really blame me, can you?" Io took a spot at the top of the slope, next to Ryuu. "You should have seen the look on your face when the T.V. focused on you specifically. I laughed so hard I thought I was going to wet my pants. I'm sure just about every fujoshi at that ballpark felt the same."

"Buttmunch," Ryuu mumbled as he only just remembered Io's inexperience in snowboarding. "Uh, Io… Do you have any idea how steep this slope is?"

"No," Io replied as he teetered on the apex of the slope. "Why- Aaaah!"

"Holy…" Ryuu watched in horror as Io sped down that 55-meter slope. "Io! Hey!"

"Oh, no!" A young bystander hid her face in her boyfriend's shoulder, unable to watch Io's horrid fall. "Someone, help him!"

"Tch… Just leave it to the master, eh?" Ryuu, with breakneck speed, raced the slope in hopes that he'd save Io in time. "One clean motion, no hesitation."

"Kyaaaaaa!" Io continued his unfortunate descent down the slope. He thought for sure he was going to meet a terrible fate as the ground stood a mere few meters across from his face, until…

"Phew…" Ryuu sighed in relief, catching Io with admirable grace. "Io, I don't know what in the name of all the gods you were thinking, but you need to watch it! You could have broken your neck, or worse!"

"Ah…" Io could only feel love and joy, despite the fact that mere seconds ago he was within inches of a lengthy, costly hospital stay. "My hero."

"Oh, can it." Ryuu nearly dropped Io, but the half-Greek managed to regain his footing. "Maybe I should have let you barrel roll all the way down the slope, if I had known you'd act like I'm your knight in shining armour. …You are okay, though, yes?"

"My foot does hurt a little," Io replied. "I can walk on it, but I don't think I can snowboard for the rest of the night."

"What a pity." Ryuu frowned, moreso because Io was injured rather than because they had to cut the snowboarding short. "It's approaching 19:00, so are you in the mood for dinner?"

"Yes, yes." Io grinned, retrieving the Kathenas Agapi café coupons from his handbag on his way to his Mercedes. "I've got these, so why don't we go to Kathenas Agapi's restaurant?"

"Kathenas Agapi? Isn't that from where Kinugawa-sempai brought the chocolate _manju_ for Yufuin-sempai on Valentine's Day? I heard that it's crazy expensive!"

"Not with these three coupons, it's not," Io commented as he and Ryuu took their seats at the restaurant. To their fortune, they were the only ones in that section of the restaurant, save for one gay couple in the corner. "50% off on any item whatsoever. What do you have in mind?"

"Hmm…" Ryuu perused the menu, overwhelmed by the obscure-sounding Greek dishes on it. "I'm in the mood for Cabernet Sauvignon… Oh, but that _fasolada_ and _galaktoboureko_ sound good, too… Decisions, decisions. Ah, to hell with it, I want all three of them!"

"Consider it done, love." Io summoned the waiter, who in little time brought them Ryuu's requested items, as well as beef _youvetsi_ and Cabernet Sauvignon for himself.

"Thank you very much, sirs," the waiter thanked. "It's all been paid in full, too, so don't worry about anything."

"Paid in full?" Ryuu questioned before having a taste of anything he ordered. "Io, you didn't just…"

"Oh, yes I did." Io cast a wink at the other teen, taking a sip of fake Cabernet Sauvignon.

"You should have let me at least contribute a yen or two! Oy…" Before touching the main course, Ryuu took a taste of the dessert, highly enjoying the sweet milk taste. "I can barely pronounce the name of this dish, but boy, is it awesome!"

Io wasn't sure whether to be more concerned about Ryuu's tendency to eat desserts first or about the fact that the _galaktoboureko_ consisted of 80% milk. "You ordered another milk dish?"

"You forget that I remembered the lactase pills." Ryuu took a pause from the _fasolada_ to take one lactase pill. "Of all dates I have ever been on, this is the only one for which I've actually remembered them."

"So, I'm actually of importance to you, then." Io's face became covered in a blush, accentuated by the Cabernet Sauvignon he drank. "…Thanks, I guess."

"Hey there, now…" Ryuu waved his hands slightly, as if to signify he didn't mean what Io had in mind. "Don't get the wrong idea. It's just… It's just coincidence."

It was at his own suggestion that Io had remembered the Pahmpis B. Ahtch card and the dark chocolate cherries, which he luckily had in his handbag. "If I am important enough for you to remind you about your lactase pills, then what I am about to do is important to me."

"Ooh!" Ryuu quickly surmised that Io was about to give him a gift. "What do you have there? Dirty magazines?"

"Better." Io grinned slyly.

"So freaking tell me, then!" Ryuu spoke playfully.

"Freaking tell you what?" sounded a voice from the entry to this section of the restaurant.

"Eh?" Ryuu, who did not recognize the voice, turned around. "Who are… Oh, holy…"

"Callista?" Io recognized the voice of his 14-year-old sister. "What are you doing here? And with such a big group, no less?"

"Dad just gave me a whopping amount of spending money for making it into Efyu High's honour society," Callista answered. "I thought I'd put that money to good use by treating my friends and my boyfriend to a nice dinner here."

"And what are you doing here, Takumi?" Ryuu didn't like the presence of his brother in the restaurant. Heck, he really wondered how Takumi learned about it to begin with.

"Just on a date with my girlfriend, that's all." Takumi wrapped an arm around Callista's waist and kissed her hand.

"Ye gods…" Io stared at his sister, wondering how a wayward prospect like Takumi could get her to be his girlfriend. "All this time, our own siblings were dating each other, Ryuu. Go figure."

"That can't be…" One of the people accompanying Takumi took note of Ryuu's presence.

"You're that guy who went haywire at that GSA!" The guy's friend pointed an angry finger at Ryuu.

"Eh… Who are you guys again?"

"We're Heywood Jablomie and Justin Aswhole, that's who!" the best friends spoke in chorus. "And we're going to have your ass for doing what you did to us!"

"Hey, hey!" A rather timid boy, wearing glasses and somewhat messy red hair, calmed Justin down. "Take it easy, love."

"Yeah, Heywood!" Sum Ting Smelz gave his boyfriend a hug from behind. "It's bad enough that we interrupted their date in the first place. Don't go causing trouble, now."

"Besides, I'm sure it was all part of a big misunderstanding," another Binan High student, who looked very mature for his age, spoke up. "I'm sure he's a really good person at heart."

"That's my boyfriend!" Sachiko proudly kissed her boyfriend's cheek. "You're too wonderful for words, Igarao."

"I can't believe all of you are dating people I know…" Io recognized the other three people as Sum Ting Smelz, Megawa Rui, and Igarao Oyaji. "The more GSA members, the merrier, I guess."

"Thanks for that, you guys…" Ryuu felt touched that people he barely knew the names of defended him.

"Anytime, dude." Takumi gave his brother a thumbs-up sign.

"So…" Ryuu's voice as he addressed Takumi sounded nervous. "You're not creeped out that my date just so happens to be a guy?"

"Hell, Ryuu. I'm just glad to see you happy and with someone, man."

Sachiko exclaimed, "First Onii-san, and now you, Ryuu-san… Ah, the real life yaoi going on in my life."

"Yes, bestie," Callista addressed Sachiko in Greek. "Real life yaoi is good for the soul."

Speaking in Japanese, Callista asked Io, "So, Onii-san, he really is your boyfriend, then? What a great choice."

"I wouldn't really say that…" Io turned back to Ryuu, who looked like he had a ton to say. _Go ahead and deny the romance in our relationship as you always do, Ryuu. It's okay, I've accepted it already._

To Io's surprise, Ryuu didn't rant as usual, but instead blushed deeply, barely making his voice audible. "Um, Io…"

"What is it?" Io placed a hand over Ryuu's, hoping to hear something dulcet come from Ryuu's lips.

_That… That fantasy…_ Ryuu's heart raced, much faster than it had in the fantasy that inspired his date. _Am I… going to make it come true at last? Am I finally going to tell Io that I…_

"Ooh, you're handsome looks rendered him speechless." Callista whistled. "You're my brother, all right."

"Oh, shush." Io didn't bother to turn back to Callista to scold her, because he wanted to see Ryuu's face when he made his announcement.

"Io… They're not entirely wrong you know," Ryuu finally managed. "You have no idea how it annoys me that I'm constantly beating around the bush when it comes to my feelings for you. But now, I am 100% certain of how I feel about you, and I am not ashamed to admit them despite the fact that we are in a pretty large company. Io… Io, I really lo-"

The final words of Ryuu's confession, however, could be heard by no one, not even Io. It didn't help the pink-haired teen that what prevented the confession from becoming known was an irritating buzz from his Lovracelet.


	22. Gi kai Pyrkagia

Notes: "Gi kai Pyrkagia" means "Earth and Fire" in Greek.

Chapter 22 – Gi kai Pyrkagia

_Not now…_ Ryuu regretted having to take care of this irritating but important matter. _Oh, well. Hopefully, I'll actually get the courage to tell Io later._

"Onii-san, what just happened?" Callista asked, grabbing Io's left wrist. "What a cute bracelet! Where did you get it from, and how much did it cost? Can I have it?"

"No, you cannot!" Io withdrew his hand. He knew he didn't have much time before the enemies outside would storm in the restaurant and, quite frankly, he didn't feel like explaining the whole Battle Lovers thing to the large and curious crowd. Unfortunately for him, his sister would not let the matter slide, so he decided to provide a half-assed explanation. "It's known as a Lovracelet, and I got it from a weird pink wombat creature. With it, I can transform into the Battle Lover Sulfur."

"Ooh, a transformation!" Callista exclaimed, clearly showing her fujoshi side. "Like what they do in those magical schoolgirl shows."

"Yeah, sure…"

"Argh, there's no time for small talk!" Ryuu jumped up, annoyed by Callista's persistent curiosity. "We're all going to get arrows in our butts if you keep on chatting. Love Making!"

"How pretty!" Callista watched as small rocks and sparks of fire flew across the room. "The only thing that could make this complete is a bucket of popcorn."

"Amazing…" Sachiko stared in awe. "You're Battle Lovers just like Onii-san and Atsushi-san, huh?"

"I don't know how you found out about them, but yeah," Sulfur replied. "Well, I hope you've had your fill of magical boys and real life yaoi and all, because we've got to go no-"

"Wait, Ryuu!" a voice from the corner of the restaurant spoke up. "Before you go, I'd-"

"Onii-san? What are you doing here?"

"Well… If you must know, I was here on a date with my boyfriend. We had just come from a local LGBT club meeting, and, well… Crap, I think I said too much. What a way to come out as gay, huh?"

"Onii-san, let me tell you this." Vesta looked at Tsuyoshi in reassurance. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with you being gay. You are still my brother, and I love you very much. I won't let one minor aspect of you ruin our bond."

"Th-Thank you…" Tsuyoshi, in catharsis, cried as his younger brother comforted him. "I thought that you would chastise me, rebuke me, tell me the most awful things… You have no idea what a great brother you truly are."

"Hey, I'm a great brother, too!" Takumi joined in. "I'm sure Yoshi would give you a big hug too, Tsuyoshi-onii-san."

"Ryuu…" Sulfur started. "I don't want to interrupt the brotherly love, but…"

"Ah, yes." Tsuyoshi stopped crying. "Now don't let me keep you from defeating bad guys with your boyfriend, Ryuu. Run along now!"

"Stay in here, everyone," Vesta ordered. "Do not leave here unless the enemies somehow make it in here. If you think that they're about to infiltrate the restaurant, call my phone, and Sulfur and I will make it back as soon as we can. Understood?"

"Roger that!" Heywood assured. "If push comes to shove, then Justin and I can fight back."

"I'm counting on you, then." Vesta placed a hand on Heywood's shoulder as Heywood returned the gesture. This action dispelled any remaining enmity between them.

"Onii-san…" Takumi held Callista close, as if to protect her. "You stay safe, too."

"Yes, sir!" Vesta replied before making way for the supposed heart of the enemy activity at full haste.

"Vesta…" Sulfur began, moved by Vesta's words earlier.

"Yes?"

"Never mind. I'll tell you about it after we've routed the enemy. Anyway, do you have any idea where the enemies might be coming from?"

"I'd imagine a really large and open space," Vesta surmised. "We're in a rather popular part of town, though, so we're going to have a hard time finding them. It would be nice to have backup, though…"

"You rang?" Scarlet popped up with Cerulean by his side.

"Oh, good. Now we can find the enemy leader together," Sulfur suggested. "It would probably be a very bad idea to split up, as the enemy could outnumber us faster than we think. And if we get singled out in an alley or some other, we're done for. Vesta says we should find an open space where the enemy might be."

"Good idea," Scarlet remarked. "It would make it very easy to spot and attack the enemy. But where would we find such a place?"

"I know just the place to look," Cerulean cut in. "Follow me."

"I think I've been here before," Scarlet thought aloud as the Battle Lovers stopped in a field of red tulips. "It's called Minasama no Ai Park, isn't it? Kinugawa-sempai told me this is where you guys became boyfriends. Tee hee."

"When you put it that way, I'm not sure if I want such a wonderful place to become a battlefield." Cerulean blushed.

"Oh, but it's about to!" a voice shouted from behind Cerulean. "Think fast!"

"What?" Cerulean unfortunately didn't have time to think at all, except for the sudden sticky mass encircling his entire body. "Ack! What the heck is this stuff?"

"Behold the Pudding Monster!" The enemy leader finally showed himself. "I'm going to submerge you all in a flood of pudding!"

"Yuck…" Vesta grimaced at the puddles of pudding that the Pudding Monster splattered everywhere. "I bet it tastes horrible, too."

"I dare you to say that again?!" With Cerulean still in his grasp, the Pudding Monster aimed a shot of pudding at Vesta, who barely evaded it.

"Hah!" Scarlet scoffed, summoning the Lumiere of Love. "You're slow! Betcha can't get me. Nyah, nyah!"

"I bet I can!" The Pudding Monster teleported out of sight.

"You're not only slow, but you're also a chicken. What a buffoon."

"No, it's just a little thing I call 'tactics.'" The Pudding Monster reappeared behind Scarlet, enveloping him with a tentacle of pudding.

"Eyaaaah!" Scarlet futilely flailed about. "Sulfur-sempai, Vesta-sempai, help us!"

"Normally, this is the part where I'd tell him he deserves it for being a pompous idiot, but…" Sulfur dodged a pudding attack. "He's an ally, and the Gay Whisperer at that."

"True that." Vesta performed a backflip, gracefully dodging the next attack. "You may be a good fighter, but I'm a superb one. Hey, I think I'm getting better at this! Pretty soon, I'll be faster on my feet than Scarlet over there."

"Uh, Vesta…" Sulfur pointed a warning finger. "Look behind you…"

"Seriously, this Battle Lover stuff is too easy. If I don't get a good challenge soon, then-"

"How's _this_ for a good challenge?" The Pudding Monster grabbed Vesta with the largest of its three tentacles. "Ye gods, you're heavy. You're not going to be an easy one to hold onto, that's for sure. Unfortunately, I don't have any free tentacles anymore, so that leaves just one option for _you…_"

The Pudding Monster turned to Sulfur, aiming a small gun from its body at the Roaring Prince. "I'll have to shoot you until you're riddled with bullets."

"Sulfur!" Vesta exclaimed. "No!"

"Hmph." Sulfur smirked as he summoned the Raging Gaia. "Bring it on, bitch. May the best fighter win."

"Take this!" The Pudding Monster launched a barrage at Sulfur. "Argh! Why can't I hit you?"

"Because that's what the gods have wanted." Sulfur didn't want to make the mistake of being arrogant, as his allies did. "With any luck, they'll be on my side for this fight."

"We'll see about that!"

As his foe began to show significant weariness, Sulfur believed the fight to be in his favour. He readied the Raging Gaia, fairly confident that the Added Margin Bomber would put an end to his enemy._ Phew… Dear gods, I thank you for this victory that I am about to-_

"Thought you had the upper hand, huh?" The Pudding Monster's gun suddenly grew bigger. In order to summon enough power to bring Sulfur down, the Pudding Monster threw Cerulean, Scarlet, and Vesta several meters away. "Well, I've got a trump card! Something the gods didn't bless you with, apparently."

"What the… Aah!" As the gun generated a huge whirlwind, Sulfur couldn't maintain his footing, and was soon blown off his feet. He landed a substantial distance from the Pudding Monster, though unfortunately for him that distance wouldn't protect him from the impending attack.

"Ugh…" Cerulean attempted to arise, but was too weakened from the fall to do so. "I'm sorry, Sulfur… I couldn't…"

"Sulfur-sempai…" Scarlet, who landed even harder than Cerulean, could barely move.

"When you go to the afterlife," the Pudding Monster began as a swarm of enemies stood at the ready, in the rare event that Sulfur managed to escape from his position, "you might want to ask the gods why they didn't give you better fortune. Haha."

_Ugh…_ Vesta struggled to get up, but managed to at least get on his knees. _If I don't do something… I'll never get to tell Io that I really care for him as more than just a friend! I don't… want to lose him! Hachiman, god of war… If you can hear my prayer, please give me the strength to save my precious Io!_

_I'm sorry, Ryuu…_ Sulfur clenched his eyes in preparation for his fate. _I could do nothing… Some best friend that I am._

"Leave Io alone, you bastard!" Vesta shouted as the Blazing Ignit became engulfed in flames. "Don't you dare motherfucking touch him!"

"Oh?" Surprised that Vesta could recover from such a harsh landing, the Pudding Monster turned around to see Vesta and the Blazing Ignit, now in the form of a bow and quiver of arrows.

"Burn in the flames of hell, where you belong!" Vesta drew an arrow from the quiver, wasting little time in releasing it from the bow. "Ignit Arrow!"

"Argh!" The Pudding Monster took the arrow square in the chest, and cowered in the flames the arrow had generated. "How is this possible… The gods were supposed to be on my side…"

"Io…" Cerulean admired the way Vesta protected his comrade and the newfound power he used to do it. "What did you just…"

"Hey, Cerulean-sempai…" Scarlet pointed at the Purifying Aqua, which in the course of Vesta's attack had transformed into a beautiful sword. "Whoa! Where did you get that sword?"

"I don't know, but if it's going to help me protect my friends, I'm going to use it!" Cerulean lunged forward, protecting Scarlet from a trio of axe users from behind.

"I wish I got a cool weapon, too…" Scarlet frowned, as the Lumiere of Love didn't change at all, except for the fact that it grew twice the length. "Even that scary-looking axe that Sulfur-sempai's got there is better than this."

"Aw, don't fret!" Kurotori, having heard Vesta's distress call, had just come to the Battle Lovers' aid. "After all, me and my friends are here to help!"

"Thanks a ton…" Scarlet, feeling that he couldn't harm his enemies worth a damn, let Kurotori's soldiers and the other Battle Lovers finish of the rest of the enemies. The battlefield was now a fairly ordinary park again, but the red tulips became bloodstained, their beauty undeterred.

"Hah…" Ryuu reverted to normal form, exhausted from the strength he exerted. "Io, are you all right? That monster didn't rough you up to much, did he?"

"No, he didn't…" Io's voice suggested otherwise, as his exhaustion made him keel over.

"Hey!" Ryuu caught the barely conscious Io, stroking his cheek to see if he was awake. "Io… Io, hang in there."

"He looks exhausted, the poor guy," Yumoto noted. "Looks like someone could use a good bath at Kurotama! We're past closing hours right now, but I'm sure Gora-chan will make an exception for us if I asked."

"Thanks a ton, Yumoto." Ryuu would have given his _kouhai_ a hug if his arms weren't carrying Io princess style.

"No prob!" Yumoto winked on the group's way to Kurotama. "We're conveniently close to Kurotama, too. A lot of people like to relax there whilst watching the flowers. So, we're going to be there in no time."

"Did you hear that, Io?" Ryuu felt relieved that Io's consciousness didn't wane. "You're going to get rest soon. You're going to be fine."

"I'm already fine," Io spoke as Yumoto knocked on Kurotama's door. "Because this is the second time that you've protected me."

"Sorry, Kurotama is closed right now…" Gora began as he opened the door, shocked to see quite a few bruised and wounded soldiers. "Holy… What happened, Yumoto?"

Though Yumoto knew Gora knew all about the Battle Lovers, he didn't feel like explaining the skirmish he had just come from. "We're just very exhausted right now. Please, Gora-chan, these people have just been through a tough beating… Would you be so kind and let them in?"

"You do look like you could really, really use a bath… Very well." Gora gave the nod as the soldiers entered Kurotama with thankful expressions. "As for payment… Just this once, your thanks will suffice. Unfortunately, the men's bath isn't going to accommodate you all. Two of you are going to have to go to the women's side."

"I'm down for that!" Ryuu readily volunteered.

"Yeah, except that the bath is after hours, so to your misfortune you're not going to find any women there." En spoke with a smirk.

"Oh, shut up." Ryuu stuck his tongue out at En before making way for the women's side. "Just because your boyfriend isn't here doesn't mean you have free reign to tease me."

"Whatever… Come on, Yumoto, let's rest."

"Be sure to use the special medicinal baths and not the regular ones if you're bleeding!" Gora alerted Kurotori and his men. "And call me if there's anything else I can do for you."

"Thanks, Hakone-san!" Kurotori departed the lobby with a grin. "It's been ages since I've been here."

"Ugh, don't remind me…" En groaned as his unpleasant memory of his first meeting with Kurotori resurfaced.

Meanwhile, Ryuu felt thankful that he didn't have to witness what En witnessed in that memory. More than that, he was thankful that other than a bit of soreness, Io seemed to be perfectly fine. Ryuu knew it right away as soon as he set Io in the bath, and the half-Greek immediately sat up. "Phew! I feel like I could sell a million stocks right now!"

"Really?" Ryuu asked in anticipation.

"No, not really." Io reclined against the bath wall. "Although I am feeling better, thanks to you."

"Not a problem." Ryuu grinned, scooting closer to Io. Perhaps a little too close… because Io looked upon the hazel eyes, as if to ask, "You got something to say?"

"Oh, boooy…" Ryuu distanced himself a little. "This is awkward… I know! Io, what were you talking about when you said, 'I'll tell you after we rout the enemy?'"

"Ah, that. I was moved when you showed such devotion not only to your brothers, but also to a bunch of people you hardly knew. I didn't know you had a caring side, Ryuu."

"Well, it's only human nature to care about people who are in distress."

"Not only that, but you summoned some kind of strange power that I've never seen before. It seems to have influenced the rest of us, too."

"Yeah, I wonder how that happened…" Ryuu didn't want to reveal to Io how the power _really_ came about – it would be too tiring and embarrassing to have to explain.

"Oh, don't worry about it too much!" Io flicked a small amount of water at Ryuu in playfulness. "We'll just ask Wombat about it later."

"Anyway, Kurotori was nice enough to go back to the restaurant and get our things." Ryuu pointed to a nearby wall. "Anything you had with you back there should be in your handbag."

"And a good thing, too!" The wall was close enough to where Io didn't have to get out of the water to retrieve his handbag. "Because I've got the most amazing thing to give to you."

"Oh, yeah! That thing you were going to give me before my dunderhead of a brother so wonderfully interrupted." Ryuu growled, not really meaning ill will on Takumi. "The thing that's apparently better than dirty… magazines… Oh, gods, Io, where did you get these?"

"I got that Pahmpis B. Ahtch card from a famous sports salesman. The dark chocolate cherries are from Kathenas Agapi."

"I can't believe that you'd do this for me!" Ryuu admired the card and the gold plating covering it. He would have eaten a few cherries, too, but he was very particular about eating in baths. "You must have sold a bunch of stocks or whatever to afford all this."

"…" Too humble to admit this truth, Io temporarily remained silent.

"You really…" Ryuu now had enough bravery to sit a mere half-meter away from Io, "…love me, don't you?"

"Like you have no freaking idea."

"If you're brave enough to admit that, then… then I've got something to confess to you, too." Ryuu took a deep breath, ready to give a rather long tale. "At first, I thought that Yuri, the most boring date in the history of boring dates, was dull enough to turn me away from women entirely. But then I realized that she did not represent _all_ women – she was just simply boring. Then I imagined you in that fantasy and realized… I realized that it was romance that I loved all along, not a man, woman, or what have you."

"My dear, I believe that's called pansexuality." Io smiled, taking Ryuu's hand and nibbling at the fingertips.

"Is _that_ what you people call it in the GSA?" Ryuu laughed nervously. "Thanks a ton for finally helping me define my own sexuality that I've been questioning for years, Io. But I'm not done…"

"Eh?" Io didn't buy it, because to him Ryuu's expression suggested that he had said enough.

"There's a perfectly good reason that I imagined you and you specifically. I've been on many dates, but not once have I been able to tell a girl that I loved her. But now…" Ryuu hoped that he and his blushing face didn't look pathetic to Io. "I've finally got the courage to tell a date that… that I… I really… Argh, I really can't do this!"

"It's okay, Ryuu." Io assured the pink-haired teen with a hug. "You're in love with me. Is that what you're trying to say?"

"…"

"If it's not," Io began as the hug evolved into more intimate caresses, "then you're more than welcome to stop me from adoring you."

As the whirlpool of lust ran its course, Ryuu let his heartbeat and expression convey the emotions he failed to put in words. The soft radiance in his eyes was more powerful than any confession, for in them Io could sense the sincere depth of Ryuu's feelings.

Feeling that his seemingly weak expressions were not enough, Ryuu let his hands and mouth wander all over Io's chest. "So, I guess that like the back massage, this is something you did to those girls all the time?"

"Yeah, sure it is." Ryuu grinned in sarcasm. "They enjoyed _this_ in particular."

"Oh…" Io flinched when Ryuu's drifting touches found his cock. "Ryuu…"

_Heh._ Ryuu smirked, surprised that the mere feel of his tongue could elicit such a reaction from Io. Still wanting to see more from that face, Ryuu sank his face even lower, until the erection was completely in his mouth. _Despite that poker face he puts on all the time, he's sure easy to excite. _

"Ryuu, you're… amazing..." Io couldn't believe that Ryuu could be capable of instilling such passion in him, despite how mere minutes ago he seemed hesitant to express any words of love.

_That's right, Io… _Ryuu adored that expression of ecstasy, but adored even more the fact that he was the one to spur it. _Keep making that face. Keep reminding me why I feel for you the way in which I do._

"Dear gods, Ryuu!" Looking down at Ryuu was the wrong thing to do if he wanted to stave off an explosion, because the devilish face spiraled Io into bliss as he came with a mewl and heavy panting.

"I'm not finished…" Ryuu's smirk did not let up as he proceeded to do all the other unseemly things he had in his mind.

"Oh, I think you are…" To prevent Ryuu from doing anything more, Io pinned him against the wall. "I already know from what you've done that you love me way too much. How rude of you not to let me prove the same to you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ryuu gave up in trying to protest, knowing that Io would continue his advances anyway, "but go ahead. Do whatever it is you're going to do."

"You shouldn't have told me that," Io gave a mischievous grin, not shocked that Ryuu would be so inviting. "Leaving Naruko Io to his own devices is a fatal mistake, my love."

"Wh-Whatever do you mean?" Ryuu tensed up, wondering what vast array of ideas Io could possibly have.

"I mean… this," Io declared as with little warning and an assuaging kiss to Ryuu's temple, he gently entered the other young man.

"Ah… Io…" Ryuu loved this new feeling, this sensation of another man's touch, that in his many dates with girls he never thought he would experience. Io's delicate movements reminded him of the romance and not the gender he had been in love with all along. And all instincts told him that he loved Io and only Io, and nothing could change that.

"Ryuu… You are so…" Io felt thankful to the gods that Ryuu would apologize for all his wrong doings, but this… To be able to make love to the very man he cherished, he could not be any more thankful. No blessing could ever eclipse this.

"I'm not going… to last much longer, Io…" Ryuu gasped with a smile. "You better use that financial genius of yours to calm me down, before I absolutely lose it."

"Oh, I will," Io answered this statement with faster, more passionate thrusts. "Because I'm not going to last much longer with those adorable declarations of yours."

"I'm…" Ryuu's internal flame intensified quickly. "I'm… gonna go mad… Ah…!"

"Ah! Son of a bitch, Ryuu!" Io, so captivated by Ryuu's splendor, cried in pleasure as he released all his emotions, and Ryuu felt it straight away. In response, the half-Chinese came, and his ecstatic yell echoed off the walls. He nearly lost his breath as the orgasm didn't seem to end, but Io renewed breath into him with a kiss.

"Oh, Io…" Ryuu touched the sweaty face of his new boyfriend. "Please, never leave me. If that happened, I'm not sure I would want to go on living... I want you... I want you to be mine forever."

"It shall be done, love. With your dulcet words, Zaou Ryuu, all the wintry gusts… all the icy flurries… they have melted into the warmth of summer. I feel pain no more, because you're here."

"I'm glad to have helped you, then." Ryuu grinned, nestling his face into Io's neck. "One more thing before we hit the hay, though…"

"Yes?"

"You've got a new GSA sergeant-at-arms, and his name is Zaou Ryuu."


	23. Flight of the Pegasus Knight

Chapter 23 – Flight of the Pegasus Knight

"Oi, get dressed, Akoya!" Ibushi warned as he scrambled for his clothes. "Kinshiro is going to be here any minute!"

"Ungh…" Akoya had no intention to arise. "Ten more minutes…"

"So anyway, Atsushi, that's the plan," Kinshiro spoke on his way to Akoya's bedroom. "Akoya will lead you there, and- Ack!"

"Eh? What's wrong?" Atsushi asked.

"I'm sorry, maybe some other time, Ibushi." Kinshiro knew better than to meddle with Ibushi and Akoya when they were naked, because very few things pissed off Ibushi more.

"No, wait!" Ibushi, known for the speed at which he could dress, stopped Kinshiro from leaving the bedroom. "If it's important, tell me."

"Yes, Kusatsu-sempai," Akoya concurred as he hid his nude body under the covers. "Don't mind me…"

"I'm glad you're so willing to listen, Akoya. Now, listen closely. We're going to attack our main enemies, the Battle Lovers, today."

"Yes!" Akoya exclaimed with glee. "About time we put an end to those graceless buffoons. Any idea how?"

"We're going to attack their headquarters, a place known as Kurotama Bath, first. The path from here to there is heavily guarded by foot soldiers – at least until about ten meters to the bath house, where you'll find an empty space. Akoya, I want you to take Ibushi and Atsushi there on Daisuke. The enemy isn't accustomed to dealing with airborne soldiers, so your pegasus can give us the upper hand."

"I'm not sure I like the notion of precious Daisuke being used like that," Akoya began as he started to dress, "but anything you say, I guess."

"What of you, Kinshiro?" Argent asked as he and his allies transformed and armed themselves. "You won't join us?"

"No," Aurite replied on everyone's way out of the headquarters. Unfortunately for everyone, Aurite had a very "now, now, now" attitude at the moment, leaving little time to get a substantial breakfast. "I'll be commanding forces from the ground. We will be at the ready while you infiltrate enemy headquarters, and when you give the signal, we'll join you. Understood, you guys?"

"Yes, sir!" Perlite answered as he, Epinard, and Argent took off on the pegasus. "I'm glad you're very light, Epinard-sempai, because otherwise Daisuke might not be able to handle you."

"Damn it all, why did Kinshiro order Epinard to come along?" Argent whined as he embraced Perlite from behind. "I absolutely love riding with you on your pegasus, Akoya. It's so serene and romantic."

"If you don't want me here, I can jump off," Epinard replied. "Then you can have a fun time explaining to Aurite what happened."

"Ugh, what a buttmunch…" Perlite mumbled. "Well, we've got about 20 minutes until we get there, so let's pass the time in a more jovial fashion, shall we?"

While the members of Caerula Adamas began their next move, Kurotori had a hard time getting his men to awaken at Kurotama. He was amazed that such a talented group of soldiers could be so incredibly lazy. He couldn't help but wonder if En started to give them tales of how important sleep is, and now every soldier began to adopt his habits.

"All right, is that everyone?" Kurotori began a head count of his soldiers as they quickly prepared their breakfasts.

"Zaou-sempai and Naruko-sempai are still not here," Yumoto replied. "They must still be in the women's side of the bath."

"Go and get them," Gora ordered. "The business hours are going to start soon, ergo they obviously can't be there when our female customers come in."

"Yes, Gora-chan!" Yumoto made way for the women's side.

"Knowing those guys, they're probably still sleeping," En remarked with a yawn. "I would be, too, if you didn't constantly shake me awake, Heywood."

"Early bird gets the worm!"

"Bullshit." En held back a slap to Heywood's face. "Utter bullshit."

"What do you mean, 'bullshit?'" Ryuu giggled as he and Io arrived at Kurotama's lobby. "We're right here."

"About time you showed up!" Justin exclaimed. "Well, someone better go get Yumoto, because now-"

"Aaaah!" Yumoto shouted from the women's bath.

Moving to check on what caused Yumoto to shout so loud, and so early in the morning, En and the rest of Kurotori's army made way for the women's bath. "Goodness, Yumoto, what is it?"

"There's…" Yumoto paused, staring at a white substance floating in the bath water. "There's cum everywhere! Eeek!"

"Hardly unusual," En spoke as if this sight was nothing. "Atsushi and I have done it in the bath several times. And admit it, everyone, I'm not the only one."

"Eh-heh…" Heywood looked away, not wanting to admit that he too could sometimes be a culprit.

"Sorry, guys…" Ryuu spoke up. "_Mea culpa_."

"Oh?" En smirked, knowing from Ryuu's confession who the culprit this time was. "Ryuu, you naughty, naughty boy…"

"Come off it, Yufuin-sempai," Io scolded in Greek. "Is that how you treat virgins who have just done it for the first time?"

"Congratulations, my friend," En replied in the same language. "Clappity, clappity, clap."

"There you go again!" Ryuu scowled at En, throwing his Fruit Ninja pillow at him. "Speaking about me in Greek, knowing full well that I can't understand a word of it, even though you promised not to! You're freaking welcome for awakening our hidden powers."

"Hidden powers? What kind of hidden powers?" Wombat questioned.

"Urgh… Do I gotta explain?" Ryuu whined. "So in last night's battle, Io got in very serious trouble. We would all have been toast – that was until I prayed to Hachiman, and all of a sudden, the Blazing Ignit turned into a bow and arrows."

"Divine help, huh? Great timing, too. There were legends on my planet that one of great power would summon the might of the gods in a time of crisis. They spoke of the legendary weapons Ignit Bow, Aqua Blade, and Gaia Axe, all blessings of the god Hachiman."

"One of great power, he says." Ryuu grinned, honoured that Wombat would laud him in such a way. "I am awesome, thank you very much."

"Hey, I'm the leader!" Yumoto intervened. "I should have been that cool guy that helped us out, but I didn't get a cool weapon!"

"Another legend spoke of the leader of the Battle Lovers, who would one day wield the Lumiere Staff, granted by the dawn goddess Amaterasu. With it, you have the power to cast light magic and heal your allies."

"Oh, that's nice!" Yumoto's annoyed tone went away. "I love to help my friends."

"Ah, but there is a drawback to using the Lumiere Staff to heal. When you use that power, Yumoto-san, you sacrifice your own life force. In other words, you become as weary as the person you used it on. If the target is mortally wounded, you could die."

"Yeowch…" Yumoto winced at the mere notion of dying. "But if I have to, then I will! I love my friends that much."

"Okay, so that's that." En cut in. "But what about the Hurricane Dagger that Atsushi used against us? Is there a legend about that, too?"

"There is, but it's far more obscure. It is said that the wind god Fujin would grant the Hurricane Dagger to the human he deemed to be the most intelligent. Unfortunately, I don't know any more than that."

"Blast… Well, thanks for giving us good information, Wombat."

"Not a problem. When I see you Battle Lovers actually use the weapons in combat, I'll tell you more then."

"Good information, indeed," Kurotori cut in. "Very good, you guys can help me and my men implement my strategy."

"And that would be?" Wombat asked.

"Heywood and Justin will lead a small group of soldiers to scout the area for enemies. If they spot any, Justin will come back here to let us know. Then, Yufuin-san will take a few more soldiers to come to Heywood's aid. If these combined groups become overwhelmed, then Yufuin-san will call for backup from Zaou-san, Naruko-san, and the younger Hakone-san. If push comes to shove, then the remaining soldiers will engage the enemy in this bathhouse. We can't all go out at once, though, because in that case we would risk being ambushed."

"Good strategy," Io noted. "Annoying the enemy with bursts of reinforcements could work in our favour."

"Well, don't just stand there, everyone! Love Making into the Battle Lovers already!" Wombat ordered.

As the Battle Lovers made their battle preparations, Argent began to nod off, ready to make a pillow out of Perlite's back. That was, until Epinard warned, "That's the place, Perlite. That's Kurotama Bath House, headquarters of the Battle Lovers. Don't land until you see… him."

"'Him?'" Perlite asked as he brought Daisuke to a halt. "You don't mean… Cerulean, do you?"

"Precisely. I don't know why, but I get the feeling that he's not going to come out with the scouting group. If we are to win this war, we must defeat him at all costs."

"You sure have got some beef with him!" Argent remarked. "I wonder why?"

"I don't know…" Epinard began to zone out a little. "For some reason, though, I have a strong urge to hurt him badly."

"Oh, look at that!" Argent pointed at the small group of soldiers now exiting the bath house. "There's the scouting group. Aurite's group should appear any minute now."

"Eh?" Justin, with hearing that could nearly rival that of a dog, sensed the sound of something floating in the wind. "That's… odd. I think I hear the sound of wings flapping, but it sounds quite heavy, even for a great California condor… It… It can't be…"

As Justin rushed forward, careful to not get spotted by the enemy, he finally located the source of the sound. Recognizing the pegasus as a great danger, he thought aloud, "Oh, no… So, it's true. The Chevalier Perlite owns the mythical creature, Daisuke the pegasus! I better report this back to General Kurotori at once!"

Meanwhile, at Kurotama, Kurotori felt pleased that despite the number of hours that have passed, he did not receive a request for reinforcements from Justin. He wished that this sign would give him a chance to relax, but knew that in a war one's guard must be kept up at all times. "It appears that things are going well on the battlefield. I cannot wait to give Justin and Heywood a great congratulations upon their return. I'm sure they'd love to watch me and the rest of my soldiers dance ballet to our hearts'-"

"G-General Kurotori!" Justin barged the Kurotama doors open. "We've got big, big trouble on the battlefield!"

"What is it?"

"The pegasus knight has taken the battlefield! What are we going to do?"

"That _is_ going to be a problem…" Kurotori pondered a while. "A change of plans is in order, then. Since pegasus knights are known for their susceptibility to arrows, I will dispatch my archers to take care of him. There might be other pegasus knights in the area, so stay alert. Also, I want Cerulean, Scarlet, and Sulfur to lead a few of the soldiers and clear a path."

"Yes, sir!" Cerulean, Scarlet, and Sulfur spoke in chorus as they began for the exit.

"Aw, but what about me?" Vesta complained. "Don't I get to do anything?"

"My dear, you get the most important job of all! You are going to lead the group of archers and help them locate the pegasus knight."

"Wh-What?" Vesta couldn't believe that such a vital task could be imparted on him. "Me?"

"Yes, you. As the strongest of my archers, you will definitely daunt the pegasus knight."

"Man, oh man… I'm going to have an awesome story to tell the ladies after this." Vesta hurriedly led the archery division out of the bath, humming gleefully. "I can't wait to find this pegasus knight that everyone's talking about so I can stick an arrow in his butt."

"You're the strongest of the archers, huh?" Wombat, in disbelief that anyone could dub Vesta the greatest in anything other than being a buffoon, was now quite curious. "I'll watch you closely in battle, then."

"Prepare for a great show!" Vesta answered as his group began to bifurcate from the rest of the soldiers.

"Vesta…" Before they had to part, Sulfur grabbed the Thrilling Prince by the wrist. "I know you're excited about showing off to everyone, but… More importantly, I want you to stay safe."

"Oh, I will. I'm going to stay at your side forever, aren't I?"

"I'll hold you to that, then. Good luck." Sulfur departed his boyfriend with a kiss.

As he watched his boyfriend and allies leave in the opposite direction, Vesta turned to Justin, asking, "Okay, let me get this straight… Pegasi are those weird flying horse thingies, right?"

"Correct. You should easily recognize the pegasus knight, too. He's someone that probably hates you as much as you hate him."

"I know this guy? And we both hate each other's guts? He must be a real buttmunch, then."

"Like you're the one to talk!" called out that voice that Vesta hated so much.

"What…?" Before Vesta could see the face of this person, a pearl-studded lance flew in his face, barely giving him time to parry the attack. "Ack! Who are… No, it isn't… Akoya?"

"So, we meet in battle!" Perlite smirked as Argent jumped off of Daisuke. "Battle Lover Vesta… No, the biggest buffoon in all of Binan High, Zaou Ryuu!"

"Quit talking about yourself, buffoon." Vesta replied with a snarl as he drew an Ignit Arrow from his quiver. "Prepare to burn!"

"Ooh, you suddenly developed archery skills out of nowhere. I'm shaking."

"Silence!" Vesta needed no further provocation as he released the arrow, yet to his misfortune it missed Perlite by a mile, instead hitting one of Perlite's other pegasus knights.

"Hah! Is that all you got?"

"Oh, trust me, it's not," Vesta replied as he readied another arrow. Before he could release the arrow, Wombat stopped him with a warning.

"Vesta-san, be careful! The Ignit Bow is the most dangerous weapon ever made, being crafted from the fires of hell. Once you draw an arrow from the quiver, it will burst into flames either when it hits a target or the ground. Please take care to look at your target before you shoot."

"Don't worry your pretty head about it, Wombat!" Vesta reassured. "Because this next arrow is going to burn the bastard – badly."

"I'd like to see you try," Perlite taunted. "By the way, I thought I'd like to mention that an old ally of yours is present on the battlefield today."

"'An old ally…' You can't mean… Epinard-sempai? Tell me where he is, now!"

"He'll find you soon enough. Or, should I say… He'll find _him_ soon enough."


	24. Intersecting Vows

Notes: In case you didn't read my "warning" at the beginning of chapter 21, I am shipping Sachiko, Heywood, Hashida Wario, and Chiku Kazutake with different people now. And it's all thanks to the half-second screenshots from episode 11 that show the Caerula Adamas victims. Dear gods, help me… ^^;

Chapter 24 – Intersecting Vows

As Vesta and Perlite continued their duel, Cerulean, Scarlet, and Sulfur had a hard time keeping up with their enemies. Cerulean's palms grew sweaty as he gripped the Aqua Blade, not aided by the fact that he was not very skilled in swordplay to begin with.

"Thank the gods that Heywood and Kurotori-sensei are very capable fighters!" Sulfur exclaimed in exhaustion as he slayed a few enemies with the Gaia Axe. "This axe weighs more than those bags of money sitting in my closet."

"I can't believe that you're thinking so much about money at a time like this." Cerulean shook his head.

"Well, of course! If these enemies make it to my house, then they're going to steal all my money and harm my family. I can't have that."

"Damn, these enemies are starting to overwhelm us…" Scarlet noted after casting light magic with the Lumiere Staff. "I think we're going to need to call for backup."

"Good call, Scarlet," Cerulean concurred. "But who are we going to send? We're short enough on soldiers as it is."

"I'll go," volunteered a rather shy Binan High student.

"Oh? Who might you be?" Sulfur asked. "…Wait, I think I remember you. Chiku Kazutake, was it?"

"That's right. Thanks a ton for saving me from being the Chikuwabu Monster. I owe you guys."

"Any time," Scarlet replied. "Well, get going!"

"…"

"What's wrong?"

"I'm worried about leaving my boyfriend here, especially since we're understaffed."

"You have a boyfriend?" Scarlet's voice sounded joyful. "And he's here?"

"Yes. I sincerely hope that he doesn't get killed whilst I'm gone. If that happened…" Chiku began to shake. "I… I don't…"

"Chiku, don't worry about anything." Chiku's boyfriend, having heard the conversation, appeared. "I'm not going to get killed."

"But Wario!" Chiku clung to his boyfriend, Hashida Wario, as if he regretted volunteering to call for reinforcements. "You can't just guarantee that you'll survive a battle! You'll never know what can happen!"'

"That's true… I may not be Hachiman, but…" Wario gestured as if to ask for a hug, a gesture that Chiku readily accepted. "I can do my best to stay alive, if only for your sake."

"I suppose that's reassuring enough… Okay, I'll get going now. But please promise me you'll do your best to stay safe!"

"I promise." Wario finally let his boyfriend go, but not before giving him a reassuring kiss.

"Wow, who knew…" Scarlet pondered the tender moment he had just witnessed. "Well, I'm glad to see that our efforts as the Battle Lovers have paid off, if only a little."

"This battle is dragging on for a long time…" Cerulean sighed. "Perhaps the enemy commander is here. I think I'll go look for him."

"By yourself? Are you certain?" Sulfur asked.

"Yes. If I take a group with me, then I'll be easily spotted by the enemy."

"Brilliant one, aren't you? I guess those perfect scores on those tests weren't just lucky guesses. Very well, do as you please."

"All right. Do your best, guys!"

With that, Cerulean subtly made way for a small forest as his allies distracted the enemy forces. To his fortune, most of his enemies preferred not to fight in the forest anyway, because there it would be nigh impossible to see one's targets. He hoped, however, that the trees and brambles wouldn't deter him from finding the enemy commander… And they most certainly didn't, because not long after he entered the forest, Cerulean head a familiar voice call out to him.

"Looking for someone, En-chan?"

"You…" Cerulean turned around, somehow able to identify the voice's source despite how his green garb camouflaged with the trees. "Atsushi…? You're commanding the enemy forces?"

"Not really. Chevalier Aurite is – I'm the vice commander."

"…So you're going to fight me, then."

"You bet your ass I will…" Epinard answered as he pointed the Hurricane Dagger at Cerulean. "Prepare yourself for battle, vermin."

"I suppose that in fighting you, I _can_ try to convince you to come back to us… Very well. I accept your challenge." Cerulean readied the Aqua Blade. "At your ready."

After somewhat of a pause, Epinard lunged forward at Cerulean at full speed, shouting, "Yaaaah!"

_Shit!_ Cerulean, amazed by the speed at which his boyfriend could move, backflipped out of the forest to evade Epinard's attack. _Since when did Atsushi become such a skilled fighter? _

"What's the matter, En-chan?" Epinard smirked as he chased Cerulean towards the back entrance to Kurotama. "Are you afraid of harming me or something?"

"No, I'm afraid of that bastard Kinshiro harming _you_," Cerulean replied, blocking a dagger attack with the Aqua Blade. "He's corrupted you, can't you see that?"

"Don't you dare talk about the great Chevalier Aurite like that, scum!" Epinard's strikes became more intense as the fighting carried on into the men's side of Kurotama. "He's my dearest friend! I won't allow a lowlife like you to disparage him in such a fashion!"

Cerulean frowned as his ability to parry Epinard's attacks became weaker. "…So I, as your lover, am _not_ your dearest friend?"

"I don't know what in the name of all the gods you're talking about." Epinard's dagger attacks waned slightly.

"You don't even remember the memories we shared? Your confession at Minasama no Ai Park… Your wonderful _manju_ and heartfelt Valentine's Day card… Do you mean to tell me that all of that was false?"

"…Ungh!" All of a sudden, Epinard ceased his attacks completely as he cowered in a migraine. "What… What is this… Memories… of love are coming back to me? I… I think I finally remember what caused my heart to race on that night at Minasama no Ai… But… I still can't… quite recall…"

"Then I'll just have to _make_ you recall," Cerulean declared as he knelt to comfort his ailing boyfriend with a kiss.

"Mmph!" Epinard sighed against the kiss as his migraine quickly dissipated. For some odd reason, that kiss had cause both him and En to revert to normal form. "Ah… I feel so… great… En-chan, is that you?"

"Atsushi!" En embraced his boyfriend, so thankful that he had turned back to normal. "You're back! Oh, thank the gods…"

"'I'm back…?' What happened? Did Kinshiro do something?"

"Like you wouldn't even believe," En answered as he released his embrace to look his boyfriend in the eye. "But that shouldn't matter now, should it? After all… You are mine once again, and that is all I care about."

"En-chan…" Atsushi kissed En's lips, gradually moving to his neck. "I don't know what I might have done under Kinshiro's influence, but whatever it was, I'm forever sorry."

"It's okay. I forgive you."

"You didn't even give me the chance to ask for forgiveness," Atsushi answered as his kisses moved towards En's bare chest. "Let me show you just how sorry I am."

"Atsushi?" En couldn't believe his boyfriend's sudden assertiveness. "You aren't… doing what I think you're doing, are you?"

"Oh, but I am." Atsushi smirked, shamelessly divesting both himself and En. "I refuse to be the submissive forever."

"You… are an odd one…" En shivered at the caresses Atsushi's hands granted him. "Ah…"

"You cannot tell me that you've never experienced this before." Atsushi would have shaken his head in playful disbelief, had he not proceeded to take En's erection in his mouth.

"B-But… Oh…" En, writhing in a fit of pleasure, threw his head back to stare at the ceiling. He could not stare at Atsushi, this very strange but oh so exciting Atsushi, and not absolutely lose his mind on the spot. Not that such an action did much good… The world spun around him, and Atsushi was the only thing holding him down.

_It's a shame I'm not going to see that beautiful expression of yours very often… So you better believe that I'm going to enjoy this wondrous sight while I can._

"Atsushi, don't… I'm… I'm gonna…" En felt like he was going to off like a fucking rocket if Atsushi kept this up for much longer. Despite the pleasure he felt, he couldn't express himself – at least, not in words. Words were not necessary anyway, as En's quaking body had stilled, tired from the orgasm that ran through him.

"I wish you could see yourself right now, En-chan. I could never make a face that adorable."

En couldn't decide if he felt more nervous or aroused by Atsushi's obvious intention to continue this bold, romantic attitude of his. "You… Just what kind of ideas do you have in that head of yours? You're not seriously going to…"

Atsushi brushed En's hair out of his face, revealing sapphire eyes that to Atsushi's misfortune bore a hint of fear. "En-chan… Please, don't look like that. You're killing me."

"B-But…" Whatever insignificant thing En might have had to say was swiftly quieted under an ardent kiss. En couldn't so much as release a cry of euphoria under that kiss, even as with an impatient growl Atsushi guided himself in.

"Atsushi, h-holy…" En did not let go of even a little bit of anxiety. "I… Ah!"

"En-chan…" Atsushi strongly resented the reluctance on En's face, wishing dearly that he could erase such hesitancy. "Don't you… trust me at all?"

"…" En covered his face, fully aware of how his anxious expression saddened Atsushi. "I'm sorry. I'm just…"

To allay any concerns, Atsushi held En close to him until the Flashing Prince could feel his heartbeat. "With my love, En-chan… With my love, I vow to never to truly betray you again."

With such a simple yet powerful declaration, any fears that En might have had dissipated in an instant. There way no way under the sun, no way whatsoever, that he could have heard that assertion and not entrusted himself entirely to Atsushi. _This_ was how they were going to epitomize their love to one another; there was nothing that Kinshiro or Zundar or any other adversary could do to separate this bond.

"F-Forgive me, Atsushi…" En dug his fingers into Atsushi's back, leaving marks. "Forgive me for being an idiot… I am yours… and no one will ever change that. No one."

Elated that En now trusted himself in his hands, Atsushi held nothing back, hid no emotions at all. The ardor he instilled into En, and the body warmth that they shared, would convey everything. No matter what bloodshed and strife the war bought, no matter the trials he had to endure, En took solace in Atsushi and their unshakable faith in one another.

"A-Atsu…shi… Ah…" An internal flame brewed within En, and his core muscles tightened. "You… have no idea… how much I… Ah!"

Too intoxicated with happiness, En didn't have time to call out a warning. His body convulsed under Atsushi's as orgasm tore through the both of them, until he had nearly run out of air.

"En-chan…" Atsushi pulled out and kissed En's sweaty neck. "En-chan, I love you so much. I… I won't ever leave you. I swear upon the good name of the gods."

"Heh." En smirked as he poised himself over Atsushi. "You know that I feel the same, don't you?

"Yes, I do." Atsushi prepared himself for passion he knew he would soon receive. "But show me anyway, my Flashing Prince."

"I vow my eternal love to you, Atsushi…" En spoke as he proceeded to seduce his boyfriend, "and I will never betray you, not even if my life depended on it."

En's embrace of his lover held firm as he made his vow. Through the day so filled with war and soothing weather, Atsushi reciprocated the favour similarly, and the lovers spent the day passionately vowing their love to one another. En let the sound of Atsushi's heartbeat enrapture him and symbolize the strength of their bond.


	25. Of Manju and Curry

Chapter 25 – Of _Manju_ and Curry

"Atsushi…" Cerulean noticed that his boyfriend had fallen asleep after they had stopped making love for the day. "Atsushi, I know you don't want to move, but there's still a battle going on outside."

"There is?" Epinard awoke, redressing as he reclaimed the Hurricane Dagger. "Forgive me for not being aware."

"Yes, and our allies are all very worried about you. Kurotori-sensei will be relieved to know that you've come back to us."

"Well, let's not waste any time!" Epinard declared after he and Cerulean were fully dressed and armed. "Let's go help them!"

Without hesitation, Cerulean and Epinard rushed out of the bath house, ready to do battle. Rather than meeting enemies on the battlefield, however, they saw only members of Kurotori's army.

"Cerulean-san, there you are!" Kurotori exclaimed. "Where were you this whole time?"

"I… don't think you want to know the answer to that question." Kurotori actually probably did want to know the answer to that question, but En of course didn't feel at liberty to say why.

"And… Eh?" Kurotori had just taken notice of Epinard's presence. "Epinard, thank goodness you're safe! You're not under Aurite's influence, I trust?"

"Nope, not anymore," Epinard answered as held Cerulean's hand, "thanks to this wonderful man here."

"The bond that you two gentlemen share is just… amazing…" Kurotori stifled a tear of joy. "At any rate, we drove off the enemy for the time being."

"So we can storm Caerula Adamas headquarters, then?" Epinard asked.

"Not yet. I am trying to call for allies from other places, namely Seoul and Fukuoka."

"I see," Cerulean spoke. "In that case, why don't we restock on supplies while we're waiting for them?"

"That's a good idea," Kurotori remarked. "We are running low on food, and my men are constantly getting their clothes ruined. We also need medical supplies, because we can't depend on Scarlet-san's healing powers all the time. Unless, of course, we want him to pass out in the middle of a battle."

"Got it," Cerulean noted. "Anything else?"

"No, not really. You're quite the clever one! I should make you my staff officer or something."

"Right… If you'll excuse us, sir." Cerulean bowed slightly before taking his leave. Considering how he would soon mingle with civilians, he and Atsushi decided to revert forms.

"That's a lot of things to get, En-chan…" Atsushi remarked as the pair entered a crowded shopping district. "Are you really feeling up to it?"

"Nah. You think that I, the ultimate advocate of laziness, have time for that? I'm just going to shop for some _manju_, then head right back to headquarters."

"You're just amazing," Atsushi spoke with a hint of sarcasm. "And to think, Kurotori seriously considered making you his staff officer."

"That should be your job, my dear," En answered as he and Atsushi entered Kathenas Agapi. "Plus, I'm sure Heywood and the others are going to take care of the rest. More than that, though… I think my idea's the perfect excuse for us to have a romantic break from this warfare, don't you?"

"Sure, sure…" Atsushi perused the selection of confections, which never seemed to run out despite how popular the store was. "Ah, just being in this place is bliss… I remember the first time I came here, back when I was that giddy kid dying to confess his love. It's a shame that that chocolate _manju_ is almost never here, because I'd love to buy some for you if they had it now. Hard to believe how long it's been since then…"

As Atsushi reminisced about the vast memories he had before En became his boyfriend, the squeals of a 4-year-old girl interrupted his thoughts.

"Daddy! I want the strawberry _manju!_"

"Now, now, Artemisia." The girl's father attempted to calm his rowdy daughter. "Be patient. Since you were so well-behaved in daycare yesterday, I'll get you a box."

"'Artemisia?'" Atsushi pondered the odd, foreign name. "What a weird name."

"Artemisia was an ancient Greek queen who became a warrior for the Persian army. There's only one Greek family other than my mother's that I know of, and that is-"

"Ah!" Artemisia, in a rush for the _manju_, did not see where she was going and crashed into En. "Oh, sorry, mister! Hey, you're friends with Onii-san, aren't you?"

"Who's your Onii-san?" En asked in Greek, as Artemisia appeared to only understand Greek.

"Naruko Io, silly!"

Mr. Naruko soon entered the scene and apologized on behalf of his daughter. "I am so, so sorry, sir. Please, forgive my daughter. …Hey, is that you, En-san?"

"_Yassou!_" En replied, continuing the conversation in Greek. "What brings you here today?"

"This daughter of mine is constantly badgering me for strawberry _manju_."

Stooping low to meet Artemisia at eye level, En handed the little girl what she looked for. "Well, you're in luck, my dear, because the nice people who work here bought this _manju_ just for you!"

"Yay!" Artemisia claimed the _manju_, giving En a hug in return. "Thanks a lot, En-san!"

"How… cute." Not understanding a word of the conversations, Atsushi stared at his boyfriend in admiration as Mr. Naruko made way for the checkout line with Artemisia.

"Strawberry _manju_, huh?" En grabbed a few boxes for himself. "Sounds good. I think I'll grab a few boxes of cherry _manju_, too, in case Ryuu is in the mood for some. …What's up, Atsushi? Why are you staring at me like that?"

"All right. I'll tell you, but only if you promise not to laugh. Just now, with Artemisia… You looked like father and daughter."

"Ooh, that's cute." En stifled a giggle.

"H-Hey, I said no laughing!" Atsushi scolded his boyfriend with a blush.

"Sorry. Okay, I'll stop laughing now." En now proceeded to pay for the 15 boxes of _manju_ he gathered. "I wouldn't mind making that dream real, you know – with a different kid, of course."

"Sure, sure, sure… Same here, I guess."

"I'm glad we're on the same page, then." En kissed Atsushi on their way out of Kathenas Agapi. "Why don't I treat you to dinner while we're out here?"

"There aren't too many available restaurants, unfortunately… Look, all the tables are full."

"You're right…" En surveyed the area, noticing one restaurant that had two empty tables. "Hey, how about there? If we hurry, we can get a table."

"What are you looking at? …Oh, that's Cocokara Curry, the place where we had our first date."

"Well, then, that settles it. Come on, Atsushi, before they get booked!"

With Atsushi's hand in his own, En ran for Cocokara and its spicy fragrances. To En's fortune, the host didn't give two figs that a gay couple showed any form of PDA in his restaurant. Not that En would give two figs even if that weren't the case.

"You gentlemen are in luck. We have one table for two left, if you don't mind being outdoors."

"On the contrary, we'd like that very much," En replied. "We'll take it."

"All right… There you are. The waiter will be out shortly."

It didn't take long for Atsushi to summon the waiter and place his order, because he knew what he wanted right away. To his happiness, En did, too.

"Great choice, Atsushi."

"How charming of you to get the same thing. We could have gotten a huge one with the same amount of food and shared it."

"One romantic idea after another…" En, as if to tease his boyfriend, took a spoonful of Atsushi's curry. "No wonder you were such a great seme."

"En-chan, that's hardly an appropriate topic for public dinnertime conversation." Atsushi shook his head, wondering how his boyfriend could obtain such a silly notion. Though the restaurant had certainly changed over the years, the scent of curry, the friendly people, and the overall jovial mood were as profound now as they were back then. "Still, I can't believe how long it's been since we last ate here together."

"Tell me about it." En returned to his own curry. "We were in the 7th grade since we came here on our first date."

"And I've been in love with you ever since…" Atsushi spoke with little thought.

"Really? You've kept an unconfessed love for five years? That's awful. If only I had confessed that I also loved you, then you wouldn't have had to deal with it for so long."

"To think, that we were in love with each other for that long, and without knowing it…"

"But it's all good," En held onto Atsushi's hand and stared a tender look into his eyes, "because you're my lover now, and I couldn't be happier."

"Oh, En-chan…" Atsushi could hardly think about the curry now, because En's expressions captivated him so.

"Enough of that, though," En declared as he held a spoonful of curry to Atsushi's mouth. "You need to eat more, my dear."

"Since you're feeding me, I guess." Atsushi accepted the spoonful. "Whether it's Greek food or _manju_ or curry or anything else… I'll eat anything you give me."

"Damn, Atsushi, you're like my wife. Too freaking adorable."

As the boyfriends shared such dear memories and close moments, a jealous individual decided to make his presence known. "So, there's someone with whom you like to share curry more than me…"

"Eh? Who…" Atsushi soon decided that he didn't like that voice's source, for when he turned around, he met a longtime friend. "Kinshiro? What are you doing here?"

"_I_ should be the one asking you that!" Kinshiro exclaimed in exasperation. "Come back to me at once."

"No way, no how." Atsushi shot a stern expression at Kinshiro and gripped En's hand. "I'm staying with En-chan, and that's final."

"So, you refuse orders. If it has to come to this…" Kinshiro held up a hand with a ring. "Conquest!"

"Ugh, you buttmunch…" En grumbled. "Love Making!"

Aurite spared no time in launching an attack. "If you're not going to come back to me willingly, then I'll reclaim you by force!"

"Hmph." Epinard readied the Hurricane Dagger. "Come at me – I dare you."

"Since you're here, too…" Aurite turned to Cerulean, "maybe I can kill you while I'm at it."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Cerulean replied with a shock wave of water from the Aqua Blade, "because I'm going to defeat you first."

"Argh!" Aurite, whose main weakness was water, felt debilitated. "Damn…"

"If you retreat now, I'll spare you," Cerulean proclaimed while pointing the Aqua Blade at Aurite. "At least until you attack Kurotama again."

"Grr…" Aurite, who was now too far away to strike with the Aurum Blade, began to change his sword's form. "I'll stick arrows in both your butts!"

Before the Aurum Blade could completely morph into a bow, a voice in the distance shouted, "Aurite! You're surrounded!"

"Shit. It's General Kurotori."

"You've nowhere to run, scum." Kurotori aimed his sword at Aurite. "If you agree to become a prisoner, however, I can guarantee your life."

"Tch. You obviously have no idea what I'm capable of."

"What…" Cerulean watched as Aurite took to the air. "You coward!"

"No, it's just a little thing I like to call 'tactics,'" were Aurite's last words before he flew out of sight.

"Don't get away, you bastard!" Justin aimed an arrow at Aurite.

"Hold, Justin," Vesta commanded. "Let him have this day. There's no need to waste arrows on him yet."

"Yes, sir." Justin returned the arrow to his quiver as all the Battle Lovers returned to normal form.

"He's unrelenting, that one." En shook his head as he reclaimed his _manju_ and stored the leftover curry in a to-go box. "Little does he know, thought, that no matter what he does, he can't take you from me."

"That's right," Atsushi concurred as he walked back to Kurotama, hand-in-hand with En. "After all, a bond as deep as ours cannot be broken."


	26. Purifying Aqua

Chapter 26 - Purifying Aqua

"Welcome back, Aurite-sempai," Perlite greeted his commander as Argent braided his hair. "Golly, you sure don't look too good. What happened?"

"Atsushi…" Aurite began as he held his hurt arm, "He has broken free of my control."

"What?" Perlite exclaimed. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know… But I'm sure it has something to do with that buttmunch Yufuin."

"Don't worry about a thing," Zundar spoke up. "You're going to get your wish, Chevalier Aurite, if only you believe in me and listen to what I'm about to tell you."

"You'll help me, then?" Aurite spoke with hope. "If you can help me achieve my wish, then I'm all ears."

* * *

"General Kurotori, here are the rations that you requested." Heywood and his sword user division presented several bags full of food.

"Very good, Heywood. Put the rations in Dixie's carriages."

"At once!"

Scarlet, with Kurotori's mages behind him, cut in, "Kurotori-sensei, I've bought a lot of first aid kits and clothes. Where do you want me to put them?"

"There's a carriage right next to Dixie's; put them there."

"You got it!"

"We're ready to attack enemy headquarters, then?" Sulfur asked.

"Yes." Kurotori beckoned for the Battle Lovers to gather around him. "I just received word from the commander of the South Korean armies, Ben Dover, that they will arrive at Caerula Adamas headquarters roughly at the same time that we do. They are summoners, which unfortunately are deeply hated by our enemies. Luckily, the Fukuoka soldiers can shapeshift to look like enemies, so they can safely guide the South Korean army through the Sea of Japan. With our combined forces, we should have the upper hand against Caerula Adamas."

"Would you like me to guide everyone there?" Epinard volunteered. "As someone who knows the layout of Caerula Adamas headquarters well, I think I can be of service."

"Very good, Epinard." Kurotori gestured for Epinard to lead the way. "_Entre vous._"

"I must warn you all," Epinard started on everyone's way to enemy camp, "that Caerula Adamas has a penchant for booby traps. And despite all appearances, they tend to be quite juvenile when it comes to booby traps. Kinshiro made me plant a bunch of soiled diapers at Kurotama once, and let me tell you, it was a far from pleasant experience."

"Oy, don't remind me." Heywood winced, remembering too well the time in which he stepped in said soiled diapers.

As the Binan High GSA army chanced upon a floating mess of brambles and a huge boulder, Justin asked, "Are they capable of downright bizarre booby traps, too?"

"Yeah, but ones like these are nothing," Epinard replied, scattering the brambles with a cyclone from the Hurricane Dagger. "It's the juvenile booby traps you have to worry about."

"I see what you mean, Epinard-sempai," Sulfur shattered the boulder with a shock wave from the Gaia Axe. "With the power of the gods, we've got very little to worry about."

Before Cerulean could make a comment on how easy the journey was so far, he took note of the sweet sound of the violin. "Oh, my… Where's that music coming from?"

"I don't know, but I like it," answered Justin, who liked violin music very much. "I know this song, too. It's from a movie about escaping chickens. This song in particular is the theme song of the main antagonist."

"Hard to believe that such a wonderful song could be fit for a villain," Vesta remarked. "And escaping chickens? What an odd bunch Caerula Adamas is."

"They're odd enough to overwhelm you, maybe!" a voice abruptly announced.

"What?" Vesta, who could hardly identify the direction from which the voice came, felt a sword nick his arm. "Ouch! What the fuck…"

"Oh, yeah!" The Violin Monster danced to the song, which to everyone's surprise did not come from him. "Isn't this beat awesome? It's so catchy that it inspires me to beat the snot out of you guys!"

"Yoicks!" Vesta backflipped out of the way, the Ignit Arrows nearly falling out of his quiver. Drawing an arrow, he shot at the Violin Monster, which he easily deflected.

"Nyah, nyah!" The Violin Monster lashed out at Vesta, creating more cuts in the Thrilling Prince's arrow hand. "You can't defeat me, not at the rate you're going!"

"'Not at the rate you're going…?'" Justin pondered a while. "Could 'rate' possibly mean… the tempo of music?"

"What's up, Justin?" Scarlet asked.

"I think I know how to defeat this monster. It seems to me that he's being controlled by a very talented violinist. The only way we can defeat him is if someone plays the violin with equal skill."

"Oh, yeah?" Sulfur spoke with a hint of worry. "And who do you know among us is skilled with a violin?"

"Me, of course."

"Really? That's news to me." Vesta had doubts, but turned to one of his archers anyway. "Well, since we've little options, I guess we should trust Justin. You there, go get Justin's violin out of the convoy."

"Right away, sir!" The archer, quite quick on his feet, returned shortly with the violin and gave it to Justin.

"Unfortunately for you, vermin, I'm a huge fan of the movie from where that song is coming from," Justin told the Violin Monster as the archer poised to play his violin. "As such, I have the perfect song with which to counter you."

"Try me!" the Violin Monster dared.

As Justin began his song, he enthralled his entire audience, even those who were not familiar with the movie. The song started out rather legato, but quickly picked up to a beat to which Scarlet started to dance. "Whoo! This song is a great workout song. Maybe I should download it to my music player to listen to whilst doing cardio."

Even the Violin Monster appeared to enjoy the song, joining Scarlet in dance. "This song is… awesome! I don't remember the last time I heard such an awesome beat! So, this is love…"

With that, the Violin Monster reverted to human form, which to Vesta's annoyance turned out to be one of his archers. "So, Caerula Adamas is callous enough to manipulate our soldiers… I can't wait to litter their butts with arrows. They deserve it for what they're doing. I bet that that buttmunch Akoya was the one controlling the Violin Monster, too."

"Not only that, but that's the first time in a while that we didn't have to kill an enemy to defeat it," Scarlet noted. "Anyway, Justin, where was that song from? I really want to know, because I'm going to download it to my music player when I get the chance."

"It's from that escaping chicken movie." Justin handed the violin back to the archer who gave it to him, who returned the violin to the convoy. "This song played while the chickens were creating their final escape plan."

"Ooh, neat!"

"I'll tell you what's not so neat…" Sulfur stepped into a puddle of very murky water. "This water! It smells like a sewer!"

"Ugh, and it's growing…" Vesta noted. "I think my SBD's smell better than this."

"Hardly a time for a joke, dear Vesta." Sulfur scolded.

"No time for a joke, indeed…" Heywood began to sink into the lake water, as if it were quicksand. "This dirty water is growing into a lake! I'm not that great a swimmer, either, so if it gets much bigger…"

"Ugh…" Justin, who was rather sensitive to bad smells, began to sink in the lake that had formed. "I… think I'm gonna… pass out… and get explosive diarrhea…"

"Justin!" Heywood called out to his best friend, despite how he and most of the soldiers began to lose consciousness. "Hang in there, man! You… gotta… wake up…"

Though Cerulean had dominion over water, the mere stench and murkiness of the water began to overtake him. _This… This water… it's… it's awful… Are destined to meet our end here…?_

Before Cerulean passed out as did the majority of his allies, a voice sounded, _Fear not, Battle Lover Cerulean, for I shall aid you in this trial. _

_Who on… Earth…_ Cerulean opened his eyes in an attempt to locate the voice's source, _Hey! Whoever you are, show yourself!_

_Cerulean… Dear Cerulean... With the Aqua Blade that you carry, you should be able to save your allies._

_But how?_

_You need only take a look at what the Aqua Blade is doing now._

Sure enough, when Cerulean turned to look at the Aqua Blade, he noticed that the water around it appeared much more pristine than the murky water present everywhere else. _So, _that's_ why it's also called the Purifying Aqua… It can purify even the murkiest waters._

_That's right, and you need this power to save everyone from terrible fits of explosive diarrhea. Go on – swing your sword and clear a path._

As that voice faded away, Cerulean followed orders, creating waves of purifying water that rid the area of dirt water. Much to everyone's relief, the filthy lake now disappeared entirely, becoming a lake of water that could be clean enough to drink from.

"Phew!" Heywood stretched, making way for a nearby cliff. "A few minutes longer, and I think we all would have crapped our pants. But I wonder what happened? Who saved us?"

"I think En-chan did," Epinard replied, turning to the Flashing Prince. "You used the Aqua Blade's hidden power, didn't you?"

"Yes; a mysterious voice suggested it."

"How odd." Justin reclaimed his quiver of arrows, which had gotten lost in the murky water. "I didn't hear any such voice."

"I didn't either," Vesta cut in.

"En-chan..." Epinard felt his boyfriend's forehead, as if to check for a fever. "You sure you didn't eat poison mushrooms or something? That's why you're hallucinating?"

"...It's nothing." Cerulean held Epinard close to him, thankful that the Piercing Prince didn't get hit with another fit of explosive diarrhea. "I'm glad to see you didn't get sick again, my princess."

"You're my knight in shining armour, all right." Epinard nestled his face into Cerulean's arm. "I can always count on you to save me time and again."

"Yada, yada, yada…" Vesta resented how Cerulean seemed to care far more about Epinard than any of his other comrades. "I can't believe that you guys have the time to act like lovebirds when the rest of us nearly got explosive diarrhea."

"There's no need for you to be so jealous, love." Sulfur quelled his boyfriend's irritation with a side hug. "You know full well that I would have saved you if I had the ability to purify dirty water."

"You're right, you totally are. You never cease to amaze me with how wonderful and brilliant you are."

"Plus, we have plenty of time to relax," Kurotori remarked as his army stopped about ten kilometers in front of Caerula Adamas headquarters. "The Seoul and Fukuoka armies should be here any minute. After they arrive, we will storm into enemy camp."

"General Kurotori!" Heywood alerted, pointing to something several kilometers from the cliff. The rest of the army, intrigued by their longtime allies, gathered around Heywood. "Look! It's Phuckdis Chit and his army of shapeshifters! The Seoul commander is with him, too."

"Excellent. Everyone, prepare to give our allies a warm welcome!"

In a few minutes' time, Phuckdis arrived at the cliff and reverted from raven form. Sum, in hawk form, followed his commander closely, acknowledging his boyfriend. "Heywood! Thank the gods you're alive."

"Of course!" Heywood caught Sum after he had reverted to human form. "I couldn't die, not without you by my side."

The Seoul commander, who had arrived on an odd-looking horse, intervened, "General Kurotori, my dear friend, it has been a while. You have no idea how glad I am to see you."

"Same here, friend. But what troubles you? You sound awful. …For that matter, where are the rest of your guys' armies?"

"…We encountered a very vast, powerful enemy on our way here," Ben answered. "Their commander and vice commander had some bizarre obsession with cameras, for some reason. At first I thought that they were juvenile delinquents, but when they decided to do battle, they really hurt our forces. I guess that's what I get for underestimating the enemy…"

"General Ben, calm down!" Kurotori consoled his friend, who appeared to want to cry. "You're a fine, fine commander. You've helped us time and again, and without your help, we would probably be dead. Now, tell me more about this powerful enemy you encountered."

"Oh, there will be no need for that!" sounded a devilish voice from the air. "_We'll_ do the explaining for him!"

"Uh oh…" Ben recognized the voice as that of the commander of the enemy that nearly wiped out his army. "That's… That's him."

It didn't take long for the Battle Lovers to recognize the enemy commander, either, because they remembered this individual as someone who had pestered them time and time again.


	27. Test of Bonds

Chapter 27 – Test of Bonds

"What's the matter, dickwad?" Cerulean blocked the incoming attack from the enemy commander. "You want us to pose for another one of your weird photoshoots?"

"How dare you talk to the awesome Kinosaki Kou like that! Take this!"

"Tch." Vesta, thinking that someone as pompous as Kou couldn't land a scratch on him, felt confident that his Ignit Arrow would land smack dab between Kou's eyes. "I'll put an end to your annoying- Agh!"

"Heh, heh, heh…" Tazawa Masuya cackled as he pointed his camera at Vesta. "This camera's good for more than just taking cool pictures, you know."

"Yeah, just like this dagger is more than just something that can blow you off of your feet!" Epinard subtly warned, hurling the Hurricane Dagger in the Press Society's direction.

"Ooh, that's cool!" Kou didn't seem daunted by the power of the Hurricane Dagger. "Do another one, just like that!"

"Gladly!" Epinard backflipped, slaughtering ten enemy soldiers in the process. "Thanks for giving me free reign to show off my combat skills! I didn't know you cared so little for your comrades."

"Urk…" Kou soon realized the consequences of his stupidity, readying his sword at Epinard. "You'll… You'll pay for this!"

"No, _you_ will for being an overconfident idiot!" Epinard replied as he continued to flaunt his ability to fight.

In the meantime, the rest of Binan High's GSA armies did far less fighting and far more staring in awe, as it was evident that Epinard could do the bladework of ten soldiers. Cerulean had to resist the urge to brag about his very talented boyfriend, saying, "Hot damn, Atsushi. I really wonder if I even need to be here."

"He is a fine, fine soldier." Kurotori remarked, quite impressed by Epinard. "I'm glad you managed to get him back on our side, Cerulean-san. If we had to fight a man of that caliber, we'd be in serious trouble."

In the midst of the GSA army's contemplations, a scary voice sounded, "Ah, but you still _are_ in serious trouble!"

"Eh?" Before Cerulean could identify who uttered that voice, a sword jabbed at his face, barely missing it. "Shit! That golden sword… Kinshiro!"

"Yes! How nice of you to show your charming face!" Aurite continued, badgering Cerulean with more sword strikes.

"Likewise!" Cerulean replied with a scoff and an Aqua Blade attack. "What an opportunity I have to really rough it up!"

"Hah!" Aurite cackled. "That's precious. Yufuin En, who knows jack about swordplay, thinks he can 'rough up' the face of the swordmaster Kusatsu Kinshiro! What a fool. Come on, boy, come try me."

"Oh, I'll show you who knows jack about swordplay," Cerulean barrel rolled behind Aurite, "when I defeat you in combat!"

"Urk…" Aurite barely managed to dodge Cerulean's attack. "Not bad! Not bad at all… for a buffoon. I bet you truly _would_ be nothing without that precious boyfriend of yours."

"What the hell does Atsushi have to do with anything?"

"Everything, apparently." Aurite suddenly turned his attention away from Cerulean and instead approached Epinard. "What if… one day, this boy just suddenly left your side?"

"Kinshiro…" Cerulean threatened a shock wave from the Aqua Blade, but because Epinard was in the way, he did not attack. "If you lay a finger on him, I'll-"

"You'll… what?" Aurite asked as he seized Epinard from behind. "Pelt me with _manju_ boxes? Take a nap in the student council meeting room?"

"Eek!" Epinard struggled, but to no avail. "Kinshiro, unhand me!"

"Atsushi! No!" Cerulean reached out, but barely missed Epinard's hand.

"Hahahaha!" Aurite laughed as he took off with Epinard. "Some boyfriend _you_ are, Cerulean! Maybe you should stop being so lazy!"

As Caerula Adamas' troops and Epinard teleported out of sight, the Piercing Prince continued to flail about with no success. By the time he had run out of energy to fight back, he and Kinshiro had arrived at Caerula Adamas headquarters, reverted to normal form.

"Kinshiro, what the hell?!" Atsushi didn't know whether to fume at the fact that Kinshiro showed such enmity towards En, or that he somehow managed to find himself captured again. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Atsushi…" Kinshiro's previous hostility had dissipated. "Why are you angry with me?"

"Why am I angry with you?" Atsushi arose and glared at his longtime friend. "_Why am I angry with you?!_ Oh, I'll tell you why! You captured me for no apparent reason. You've cast such hurt upon my dearest friends. You've separated me from my family, who as I speak is probably worried sick about me now. But more than any of that… you've taken me from the person I love more than anything or anyone else in this world."

"…So, you hate me, then?" Kinshiro spoke, ashamed that such words of hate could be hurled at him.

"N-No, I…" Atsushi's temper began to cool. "I'm just…"

Without wanting to hear any more from that apparently troubled Atsushi, Kinshiro left the room and slammed the door. Hopeful that Atsushi couldn't hear him, he sat three meters away from that door and began to cry. _Atsushi… Atsushi, forgive me for doing this to you. But I… I know I can make you happy. Just please give me the chance._

Unfortunately for the GSA armies, Atsushi's sudden recapture and the near annihilation of their allies meant that a change of plans was in order. Kurotori had meanwhile ordered a full retreat back to Kurotama, but despite how his forces were now in a safe haven, he could not devise a proper strategy.

"Argh!" Kurotori exclaimed as he kicked a nearby wall, nearly breaking it. "What am I going to do?!"

"General Kurotori, please calm yourself!" Heywood attempted to calm his general. "We'll find a way to infiltrate Caerula Adamas headquarters, you'll see."

"Oh, yeah? How? Pull random ideas out our asses? As we speak, Chevalier Aurite is probably ordering a full offensive on our camp! It's only a matter of time before we're all slaughtered, and Caerula Adamas achieves full world domination. We're… Dear gods, we're not going to make it."

As Kurotori continued to lament, En watched on, worried that there was nothing he could do. His allies were in a fit of despair, and his boyfriend was once again out of his reach.

"Yufuin-sempai…" Ryuu took note of En's worried expression. "Cheer up!"

"Ugh…" All this "Atsushi getting captured" business only spurred the nap En really wanted to take. "How can I, when I've obviously failed as a boyfriend? I let Atsushi get captured again – nothing to be cheerful about."

"We'll get Kinugawa-sempai back, I'm sure of it! Your bond can't be broken!" Ryuu stopped playing with his Fruit Ninja pillow, setting under En's head. "There. Just a little something to make you feel better. And here! Three boxes of _manju._ I couldn't afford anything from Kathenas Agapi, but I try to help when I can. No whining now, okay?"

"I… guess you're right, Ryuu. Thanks. But why are you saying such things to me? I thought that Atsushi was the one who nearly killed your boyfriend. One would imagine that you would hate his guts."

"Yeah, but…" Ryuu stared at the ceiling, hardly sure of what to say. "This is my way of trying to get rid of this sudden… inferiority I have towards you."

"What inferiority? Is it because I got all those perfect scores while you got scores that have put you in danger of failing?"

"No, it's not that… I don't know what it is, but you make me feel… inadequate."

"Sorry that you feel that way. But if there's anything I can do to help, I'm more than willing to-"

Before En could say anymore to Ryuu, a mysterious voice entered his mind, saying, _En… En, can you hear me?_

"Waah!" En jumped back in surprise. "Who are you? And thanks for interrupting the nap I was about to take!"

_I'll tell you later, but first… It's about your boyfriend, Atsushi._

"How… How do you know about Atsushi?"

_Atsushi and his longtime friend, Kinshiro, are very close to where you are right now. Go and gather your friends; I'll give you further instructions when you do._

"All right, fine." En resented he couldn't take a nap as planned, but if anything could help him take back Atsushi, he'd try it. "Anything you say."

"Yufuin-sempai, I really, _really_ think that something's wrong with you," Ryuu remarked.

"What? What's wrong with him?" Kurotori asked as the rest of his army arrived at the scene.

"He's been talking to himself for some reason," Ryuu replied. "I think Kinugawa-sempai was right; Yufuin-sempai's been eating poison mushrooms."

"Well, then, that settles it," Kurotori declared. "We've got to get him to the medical ward, so that we can-"

"No, no, I'm fine," En insisted, then began to address the mysterious voice. "So, mysterious voice, what do I do now?"

_I'm sad to tell you that your current situation is quite grave. As I speak, Kinshiro is marching his forces right at your doorstep and should be there in less than ten minutes. Atsushi is with him, too, so be on your guard._

"Oh…" En's cry grew louder as he shouted, "Oh, shiiiiiiit!"

"Yufuin-sempai, what is it?" Yumoto asked, quite worried.

"Kinshiro is going to be here any minute with his army behind him," answered En as he and the other Battle Lovers transformed. "If we don't fully arm ourselves within ten minutes, we'll all die right here in the bath."

"Are you certain?" Kurotori still had doubts. "Can we really trust your hallucinations? Furthermore, we're almost wiped out! I'm still trying to get allies form the United States and Australia. Can't we at least wait until-"

"General Kurotori!" Justin, having just come back from scouting duty, rushed in Kurotama. "Dire news! I've just received visual confirmation of Caerula Adamas forces about to storm the bath!"

"What? Oh, no…" Kurotori began to panic, nearly running amok. "I guess your hallucinations were right, Cerulean-san. Well, we better… get… whoa!"

Cerulean didn't bother to listen to the rest of what Kurotori had to say. Nothing would have kept him from seeing Epinard, not even the curious allies following him.

"Wait, Cerulean-sempai!" Sulfur called out. "Don't just storm the front lines by yourself! What the heck is up with you?"

"It's Atsushi," Cerulean replied without looking back as he cleared a path. "Atsushi is close by."

"Oh, yeah? Good, because we could really use his help right no-"

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you, dear Cerulean." Aurite made his presence known. "Your precious boyfriend is not coming back to you."

"I dare you to stop me, asshole." Cerulean shot an easily-dodged shock wave at Aurite. "And what a fool of you to come with so few troops! Where's the rest of your army? Did they finally get tired of your belligerence and turn tail for home?"

"No, no… They're taking care of more important matters."

"What, like cleaning your boots?"

"You… You scum!" Aurite shot an arrow in Cerulean's direction. "Die!"

Unfortunately for the Cerulean, his overall laziness allowed no room for decent agility. Though Cerulean attempted to evade the Aurum Arrow, the arrowhead still nicked his leg, creating a painful laceration.

"Argh!" Cerulean crouched, trying to staunch the blood and the pain.

"Yes! I knew the gods would give me the chance to strike you down! Because here I am, with my secret weapon at the ready, granted by the goddess Izanami herself."

"What the… 'The gods would give you the chance?' 'Granted by the goddess Izanami?' What are you talking about? And what secret weapon, your talking skills?"

"When you see my secret weapon, you'll know what I'm talking about, because to you, he's a blessing of the gods." Aurite gestured to an obscure forest nearby.

"'He?'" Cerulean lowered the Aqua Blade, as his face etched with fear. "You're… not…"

"Ah, but I _am._" Epinard emerged out of the forest, with a voice more evil than before. "Hello there, En-chan."

"Atsushi…" Cerulean dropped the Aqua Blade and knelt in disbelief. "You're… bad again?"

"Oh, yeah!" Epinard sent a storm of knives and mini cyclones at Cerulean. "And when I'm bad, I'm good."

"Leave him alone, Epinard-sempai!" Scarlet muttered an incantation for a light spell, which had harmed Epinard – minimally.

"Ooh, sparkly magic makes me soooo scared."

"Aah!" Blown off his feet by the Hurricane Dagger, Scarlet nearly landed hard on the ground, but Heywood caught him.

"Epinard-san…" Kurotori stared on as Epinard assaulted his soldiers. "Do you really have no intention of coming back to us?"

"Nope. Not even if my life depended on it."

Kurotori frowned in shame of the horrid order he was about to give. "Then… Goodbye. Your life will end today, and will use my entire army to make that so, if need be."

"Hah!" Epinard scoffed, taunting the GSA armies with the Hurricane Dagger. "Cute, cute! You've got another thing coming if you think you can best me. We've got the power of the gods, and you don't."

Despite how his allies now moved in a rush to battle, despite how his own allies now targeted Epinard's life, Cerulean could not move. The laceration from the Aurum Arrow would not let him, no matter how much he willed his body to move. Fortunately for Cerulean, the wound did not impact his ability to shout. "Kurotori-sensei, why are you doing this? Is there no other way?"

"Cerulean-san, with all due respect, we have no choice. Epinard-san has become such a massive threat that nothing with stop him except for a death blow. I am really, really sorry about this."

Cerulean felt tempted to give in to despair, at least until he heard Perlite bellow, "Pegasus knights, charge! Don't let a single enemy touch Battle Lover Epinard!"

"Let's show these damn Battle Lovers what we're made of, and capture all of it on camera while we're doing it!" Kou announced as he joined Perlite's pegasus knights on the battlefield. "This battle is going to make such a great show!"

Cerulean never thought that he'd give any words of thanks to people as pompous and annoying as Akoya and Kou. He'd have to thank them later, if this war would allow for such pleasantries. "So, that pretty face isn't just for show… Well, since everything's been going well, I better call for someone to pick me up. Hey, Yumoto, can you help me, plea-"

Just as Scarlet turned to help his comrade, Cerulean happened to notice that in all the brouhaha, Epinard was now open to attack – at least by a highly skilled archer, one of Vesta's caliber.

Then, feeling like he jinxed himself, Cerulean saw the Thrilling Prince taking aim at Epinard. "Epinard-sempai… Cerulean-sempai… I am so sorry. But if this is the only way to stop Caerula Adamas, then I've got no choice."

"Oh, gods…" Cerulean knew too well the damage that fire could inflict on Epinard. The Piercing Prince nearly died from an I Am Awesome Fire attack when he first fell under Caerula Adamas control. But the Blazing Ignit had since evolved into a weapon of far greater danger, and if Vesta attacked Epinard with it now…

Rather than imagining the dire consequences of Vesta's actions, Cerulean ignored the shooting pain that ran through his leg as he arose. Seconds before even a spark of fire could reach Epinard, Cerulean managed to block the full effect of the Ignit Arrow.

"Ah..." Vesta nearly dropped his bow in regret. "Cerulean-sempai! Are you okay?"

"Urgh…" Cerulean collapsed into Vesta's arms. "A-Atsushi…"

"I'll help!" Scarlet ran to his _sempai's_ side, ready to use the Lumiere Staff to heal Cerulean.

Kurotori took notice of the commotion and just as the healing light began to emerge from the Lumiere Staff, the teacher called, "Scarlet-san, don't do it! In Cerulean-san's current state, you'd likely die if you healed him. Vesta-san, get him to the medical ward."

"Yes, sir!" Vesta saluted before making way thence.

"R-Ryuu…" Cerulean managed as Vesta ran with the Flashing Prince in his arms. "T-Take me… back…"

"Are you fucking insane?! Look! Your skin's starting to peel from second-degree burns! And if it weren't for the fact that you have dominion over water, you could have died, seeing as how you took a direct hit! You think you can fight in your current state?"

"B-But…" Cerulean began to cry as Vesta placed him in Kurotama's medical bath and the doctors began to tend to him. "Atsushi… Atsushi is out there! I want to see him! Take me to him, now!"

"We can't do that, Cerulean-sempai…" Vesta spoke regrettably. "I won't let you leave, and that's final."

"N-No… Atsu… shi… We made… a vow…"

As Vesta did his best to contain Cerulean in the medical bath, Aurite smirked, very proud that the battle was panning out just as he had wanted. He didn't expect for one of his hated enemies, the Battle Lover Vesta, to wound his own comrade so gravely, but anything to bring down that god-forsaken Cerulean, he supposed. The fact that Cerulean would likely die before sundown brought to Aurite profound delight. One thing didn't please him, though... and that was Epinard cowering in a migraine. "Atsushi! What's wrong?"

"My… my head…" The evil in Epinard's voice waned. "My head… hurts…"

Aurite's grin quickly faded as he took Epinard into his arms. "Atsushi! Wake up… Oh, gods, why is this…"

"General Aurite!" Argent rushed to his commander's side. "The enemy mages are overwhelming our forces! What are your orders?"

"…"

"General?"

"…Retreat. Go let your boyfriend know that I'm ordering a full retreat."

"But sir! If we do that, then…"

"I've given my orders, have I not?" Aurite snarled. "Not only that, but Epinard has fallen ill."

"F-Forgive me, sir. I'll let Perlite know right away, and I'll have him and Daisuke take Epinard back to headquarters."

"Curses…" Aurite looked on as the GSA forces began their own retreat. "Atsushi… Why are you hurt? I'll do anything to alleviate this pain of yours… anything at all."


	28. For the Love of Family

Chapter 28 – For the Love of Family

"How is he?" Akoya had just finished changing into normal clothes. In nervousness, he twirled his headdress around his wrist like it was a hula hoop. "Can I get him anything?"

"Not good…" Kinshiro kept a hand on Atsushi's forehead, as if to prevent him from getting a fever. "Can you get him some water, please?"

"Right away!"

"I'll go get some cool rags and a dehumidifier," Ibushi offered as he followed Akoya to the kitchen.

When his friends had left him, Kinshiro returned his attention to his longtime friend. It troubled him greatly that despite how Atsushi now spent most of his time at Kinshiro's side, the bespectacled teen seemed to fall ill quite often. Kinshiro seriously hoped that he wasn't the direct cause of such illnesses, or else he would not forgive himself. As if to interrupt his contemplations, Atsushi groaned. "Ungh… Kin-chan…"

"Yes?" Kinshiro had not heard Atsushi call him that in so long. He hoped that this was the mere beginning of the renewal of their friendship.

"Where… Where is En-chan? I… want to see him… so badly… En… chan…"

At the mention of that dreadful name, Kinshiro's face contorted with disgust. The poor Atsushi squirmed in pain, had short breath, and sweat profusely. And yet he managed to find the energy to think about that couch potato? "Dammit… Why are you thinking about Yufuin at a time like this? What is so special about him, anyway? He's so lazy that he won't be able to do anything worth a damn! I thought that the power of the gods would be enough to keep you at my side forever… Was I wrong?"

"No, you're not," Zundar cut in after Akoya and Ibushi had returned from their errands. "That's because you haven't used your true power… yet."

"What do you mean, Zundar-sama?" Ibushi asked.

"The reason why we've had good fortune in this war so far is that Kinshiro is the oracle of the gods and the apostle of Izanami."

"Holy…" Akoya gaped at this sudden revelation. "Kinshiro-sempai, did you know about this?"

"Oh, I did…" Kinshiro spoke in a voice that suggested he wasn't really paying attention. "I've known of my powers for quite some time."

"That certainly gives us the upper hand, then," Ibushi remarked. "If you can hear the voices of the gods, then we can predict the enemy's every move. Excellent."

"I suppose…"

"Anyway," Zundar continued, "this recent illness that Epinard has taken is quite grave and unexpected… which leaves you with one option left, Kinshiro."

"And what might that be?"

In response, Zundar generated a Zundar Needle with greater mass and sharpness than any other. "You will need to infuse this Zundar Needle with Izanami's power, then use the Needle on Epinard."

"And in doing this, do I have your guarantee that Atsushi will not go back to Yufuin ever again?" Kinshiro asked with hope as he took the Zundar Needle into his hands.

"Yes. But I must warn you, however, that once you use this Zundar Needle, the goddess will have Epinard under her control forever. There is one thing and one thing only that can revert him to normal once this action is taken."

"I don't care!" Kinshiro exclaimed as he pointed the Zundar Needle over Atsushi's heart, summoning Izanami in the process. "If it means that At-chan is going to be mine and mine only… If it means that At-chan will talk to me again… I will do anything."

* * *

"Yufuin-sempai…" Ryuu looked at En with worry. Wombat and Tawarayama-sensei happened to be in En's bedroom with him. He needed all the help he could get, after all, because En writhed about in insanity. "Dear gods, what are we going to do?"

"Atsushi… Aaaargh!" En flailed about as voices in his head exacerbated his madness.

_En… Why are you hurting so?_

"Isn't it obvious? Your misguidance has led everyone to believe that Atsushi is now the enemy, and now he's going to die because of you… Why? Why did you do this?! Atsushi… As soon as Kurotori-sensei finds him, Atsushi will…" En's heart filled with dread at the prospect of Atsushi not only dying, but also dying haven broken his vow that he would not betray En. With the mere thought of never being with Atsushi again, En would die, too, from the agony of it all. _If that's going to be the case, then I just want to die now, before I receive the terrible news of-_

Before En could delve any further into despair, the mysterious voice returned its attention to him. _As for recent events involving your boyfriend… Forgive me. To make up for it, I'm going to send you a gift._

_A gift…_ En thought as he heard light footsteps come towards his bedroom. _What in the…_

"Hiya!" Scarlet came in the room and swiftly gestured for Ryuu to leave. "Be a good boy and please make yourself scarce."

"Eh? Why just me? Why aren't you making Tawarayama-sensei and Wombat leave?"

"Because I'm going to cuddle with Wombat after I'm done here."

"Ugh, fine…" Ryuu got up. "But don't let Yufuin-sempai leave this room."

"Oh, I won't…" Scarlet snickered as Ryuu left the room.

"That snicker… You're up to something, aren't you, Scarlet-san?" Wombat remarked.

"Well… maybe." Scarlet continued his mischievous tone of voice, even as he spoke to En. "Yufuin-sempai, how you feelin'?"

"Let's see… I'm worn to the bone, and my boyfriend could die within the hour. I think I'm feeling fabulous."

"I see… It has something to do with those voices too, I bet."

"How did you know?"

"Just a wild guess." Scarlet showed such warmth in his smile, as if he disregarded the utter distress En felt. "They're not mere hallucinations, are they?"

"What are you suggesting, Yumoto-san?" Wombat asked, worried about the bizarre ideas he could sense forming in Yumoto's mind. He began to talk to himself, saying, "If Yumoto-san is right, then En-san… Could he be… But I thought that Ryuu-san was, considering that he su-"

"Wom-san, you're going crazy, I think. Yufuin-sempai must have snuck poison mushrooms in your food bowl."

"Uh, guys?" En didn't like how his friends ignored him. _Some "gift" this is._

"Oops! Sorry about that, Yufuin-sempai." Scarlet turned his attention – and the Lumiere Staff – back towards En. "I heard you got banged up pretty bad on the battlefield, and thought you could use a little help."

"Yumoto… You're not seriously going to heal me right now, are you?"

"Of course I will! This staff isn't just for show, you know."

"But Yumoto! I'm seriously wounded! What if something were to happen to you?"

"Yufuin-sempai…" Scarlet temporarily lowered the Lumiere Staff to sit down next to En and embraced his head. "If there's one thing I learned, it's that you're an awesome friend. You've been so helpful and cool, and you're really fun to be around. So you can bet that you're totally worth using the Lumiere Staff on."

"Yumoto…" En had honestly thought that only Atsushi cared about him enough to risk his life for him. He never thought that he'd be wrong in that regard, especially about an otherwise complete airhead like Yumoto. Moved by his friend's dedication, En conceded. "All right, go ahead. Use the Staff."

"Very well." Happy that he could save his good friend from death, Scarlet closed his eyes and concentrated all of his energy on the Lumiere Staff. A baby blue light radiated from it and enveloped En. Just staring at how beautiful this light was calmed En down, but more than that, it healed all of his wounds and made him feel refreshed.

"Ah…" En arose from the bed and bounced a little bit. "That felt good! I'm 100% better again. Thanks a ton, Yumoto."

"Anytime! As long as… you're…" Scarlet grinned, but shortly afterwards, fell to the ground in an exhausted heap.

"Yumoto!" En could not catch Scarlet from the fall, but tried to help him back on his feet. "Hey!"

"I'm… fine…" Scarlet struggled, but managed to get back up with En's help. "I just… need a bit of rest."

"If you insist…" En proceeded towards the secret exit from his room, which thankfully nobody but he and Yumoto knew about. "Wombat, look after Yumoto and make sure he doesn't die of exhaustion."

"Yufuin-san, where are you going?"

"I'm not telling you that. And don't you dare tell Kurotori-sensei that I've left, or I'm going to unleash my wrath upon you."

"Oy… Okay, fine. Leave and do whatever it is you have to do."

"Thanks a bunch!" were En's final words before he made way for home, where he knew he'd find extremely worried family members.

* * *

Back at En's house, Mrs. Yufuin paced about in the kitchen while her husband spoke on the phone with the police. She hadn't seen her son in what felt like weeks, and she had seriously began to wonder if he had been kidnapped. The families of En's friends had Mrs. Yufuin's sentiments and had come over to the Yufuin household to share those sentiments.

"This is… awful…" Mrs. Naruko buried her face in her hands and lamented in Greek. "Io… My first baby is… I wonder if he's even… What am I going to do without him? I want to see my son!"

"Keroessa, calm down!" Mrs. Yufuin comforted her best friend in the same language. "We're going to find Io-kun, and we're going to find everyone else. Just… have faith."

"I hope so…" Noriko spoke with slight uncertainty. "It would be great to at least get a word from one of them, though."

"Then it's a word you'll get!" answered En as he entered his house, shocked to find such a large crown in the living room.

"En!" Mrs. Yufuin exclaimed with tears of joy as Mr. Yufuin and Sachiko joined her. "Oh, En, thank the gods you're here!"

"How could I not return home after knowing how you'd be worried sick about me?" En comforted his crying family members, thankful that everyone seemed to be okay. "This is quite a big crowd here..."

"But of course!" Mr. Zaou spoke up. "I thought that Ryuu was just out playing hooky, but for him to be away from home for this long is a bit… suspicious. En-kun, do you have any idea where he is?"

"He's fine, and so are Yumoto and Io. They're all safe. "

"Oh, thank you…" Mrs. Hakone cried as her husband and Gora consoled her. "Thank you, gods, for protecting my precious Yumoto…"

"I'd love to see him come home, though," Mr. Hakone remarked.

Worried sick about Atsushi, Mr. Kinugawa broke his silence. "En-kun, you said that the other three were okay, right? What about Atsushi? Is he safe too?"

Too shameful to admit that Atsushi was indeed unsafe, En merely looked away from Mr. Kinugawa and bit his lip.

"En-kun?!" Mrs. Kinugawa flew into a panic. "Atsushi! Where is Atsushi? Don't tell me… he's…"

"Mr. and Mrs. Kinugawa…" En finally had courage enough to look at his boyfriend's family members in the eyes. "Noriko-san… Hiroshi-san… I regret to inform you that Atsushi has been kidnapped."

"No!" Mrs. Kinugawa broke down crying. "Atsushi! Oh, gods, why…"

"You have every right to blame me," En admitted. "After all, I failed to protect your son. I failed to prevent harm from coming to him. Berate me all you like - I deserve it."

"En-kun, that's far from true!" Noriko gave the blonde a hug. "It was the kidnapper's fault, not yours! You've been such a good boyfriend to Atsushi, and despite how I've said the nastiest things to you, you treat us as if we were your own family members. To have that kind of kindness… I… I am so sorry… I hope you can forgive me for all my wrongdoings."

"Noriko-san…" En returned the embrace, sharing Noriko's tears. "Thank you. I vow upon my life that I will get him back. I will see to it that all of your guys' loved ones return to their homes, safe and sound."


	29. The Will of the Gods

Chapter 29 – The Will of the Gods

"Dammit, why is Cerulean-san gone?" Kurotori displayed deep rage as he had almost finished a head count of his soldiers, but noticed Cerulean's absence. It was late afternoon – he didn't have time to deal with unruly soldiers. "He shouldn't have had the energy to get up for days! How in tarnation could he have made it out of his bedroom by himself?"

"What?" Vesta shared Kurotori's disbelief. "He escaped?"

"Don't pretend like you didn't know! You were the one who was supposed to be guarding his bedroom!"

"Um… Uh…" Vesta, despite his skill with words, couldn't come up with a plausible excuse. "He left to go get more _manju?_"

"Nice try. Thanks to your impudence, you've just earned yourself three hours of manual labour tomorrow. Congratulations."

"Oy…" Vesta trembled at the thought of what he had to do, thanks to his actions.

"Anyway," Kurotori's temper cooled slightly as he got Scarlet's attention, "it appears that the enemy is vulnerable to mages, as was evident from last night's battle. Scarlet-san, you are going to be leading the charge. Understood?"

Scarlet, however, did not even look at his general. Not that he had the energy to do so – after all, his eyes were nearly lifeless, and exposing them to sunlight would only exacerbate his tiredness.

"Scarlet-san, what's wrong?"

"N-Nothing!"

Kurotori could tell from that tone of voice that Scarlet had something to hide. "Well, gee, that certainly didn't _sound_ like nothing! …Waaaaait a minute. I think I know what's up. Cerulean-san could not possibly have left his bedroom on his own… at least, not without the divine powers of Amaterasu. I _wonder_ who around here has such powers?"

"Yoicks! Okay, okay, I admit it! I used the Lumiere Staff to heal Cerulean-sempai. But how couldn't I? He was in so much pain that I'd have been a terrible friend to ignore him."

"I'm glad you have such devotion to Cerulean-san. I suppose that means you won't mind the punishment of no _onigiri_ and no Wombat-san cuddles for a week."

"B-But… Waaaah!" Though Yumoto outwardly appeared distressed, he thought, _This punishment is totally worth it, if it means that Yufuin-sempai can be at his boyfriend's side._

* * *

The stars were not there, but Kinshiro didn't care. He simply stared at Epinard, who for some reason would not stop mock fighting the nearby post with the Hurricane Dagger. _I know Izanami would bless me soon, and that was what matters. Heck, she already did – with the gift of the most wonderful man in the world._

"Kin-chan, why aren't you training?" Epinard spoke, finally taking a rest from practice. "You'll never know when En-chan or Kurotori will strike.

"No, I'm fine… Be patient, and the enemy will come to us. Once they do, we'll- Ah…" Kinshiro suddenly looked up and out the window, as if he sensed an ill air coming from thence.

"What is it, Apostle?" Ibushi looked out that window with equal concern. "Does Izanami tell you something?"

"…That bastard." Aurite transformed and drew his sword, with a deep desire to spill blood. "That bastard is coming."

"You don't mean… Battle Lover Cerulean?"

"Precisely."

"But… He should have died before sunset last night! What the heck?!"

"I don't know, but if he intends to challenge Caerula Adamas all by himself, then it's a challenge we'll give him. Argent, Perlite, prepare for battle. I want the both of you to seek Cerulean out and kill him without hesitation."

"What about me?" Epinard spoke up. "Don't I get to take part in En-chan's death, too?"

"No, dear Epinard. We will stay here and personally annihilate the rest of Kurotori's armies when they arrive." Aurite now cradled Epinard's head, smirking that now, it seemed that Izanami's powers had truly worked. "We can see the look of horror on everyone's faces after they learn that their precious Cerulean has been slaughtered."

"I suppose that's even better…" Epinard returned the caresses Aurite gave him. "Besides, it means that I get to spend more time with you."

Meanwhile, in Perlite's bedroom, Argent had just finished his battle preparations and began to help Perlite with his. Twirling that pink hair into a braid, Argent began, "Cerulean is truly doomed. He doesn't stand a chance against Apostle Aurite and the word of the gods."

"And today, we finally get to see Cerulean's life end…" Perlite's hands rested against Argent's as the Chevalier helped him with his headdress. With determination filling his eyes, Perlite made way for the outdoor stables where the pegasi resided. "For doing what he did to the Apostle… Only his death would forgive the crimes he's committed."

"That's precisely right," Aurite agreed as he and Epinard stood outside the stables. "He's the scum of the Earth. I trust the two of you will not fail in your duty?"

"No, sir!" Argent saluted as he and Perlite mounted Daisuke. "We will bring you the head of Battle Lover Cerulean by the day's end. We will make certain of it."

"Excellent." Aurite grinned in satisfaction, but that grin suddenly turned grim. "Guys… I'm sorry. Good luck on your mission."

"Thanks…?" With his legion of pegasus knights behind him, Perlite lightly kicked at Daisuke's sides and shouted, "Hiyah!"

After they had been airborne for quite some time, Argent spoke up. "Did you find the Apostle's last words before we left a little… odd? He said, 'I'm sorry.' What on Earth would he have to be sorry for?"

"I don't know. But we know we can trust Apostle Aurite. He's an awesome friend and a brilliant man, remember that."

Cerulean highly appreciated Scarlet's efforts, he really did… But dodging brambles, flying dirty socks, and used wads of tissues proved to be a challenge too complex for such a lazy individual.

"Ugh… So, it seems that Kinshiro won't stop the immature booby traps." To dodge a flying bag of trash, Cerulean had to duck into a ditch full of sewer water. "Ack! Gross! …I wonder how much longer it is to Caerula Adamas headquarters, anyway? I swear, if I step in another dirty ditch one more time-"

"Oh, there will be no need to worry about dirty ditches!" a woman cried. "Because I'm going to end your life today!"

"Eh? Whoa!" To avoid a lance attack aimed at his feet, Cerulean jumped to grab a branch just above his head. His new foe barrel rolled into the ditch, where her pegasus nearly drowned in the murky water.

"You… You're one of Perlite's pegasus knights, aren't you!"

"And damn proud of it!" The pegasus knight's mount arose, its wings knocking Cerulean off that branch. "Commander Perlite has ordered me to kill you, an order I shouldn't have any trouble completing, considering how Apostle Aurite told the whole army of how lazy you are."

"Believe me, in the rare instances I get the motivation to do something, I can really kick ass." Cerulean smirked as he slashed one of the pegasus's wings. "And what 'Apostle' are you talking about? You don't mean Kinshiro, do you? That Kinshiro, who's too hoity-toity and aloof to care about anyone other than himself?"

"Silence, you cur!" The pegasus knighted ordered her pegasus to circle around Cerulean as she nicked Cerulean's back with her spear. "Death to those who demean the Apostle!"

"Argh!" Cerulean knelt, the pain from the spear wound quickly mounting. This pain did not last for long, however, as Cerulean regained his footing and impaled the pegasus knight in the gut. "Die!"

"Aaaaaah!" The pegasus knight screamed, and in her dying breath, she shouted to her rear, "Commander Perlite! I found him! Battle Lover Cerulean is here!"

"Oh…" Cerulean looked up, hearing the heavy beating of a thousand wings. To his dismay, this lackey of Perlite's only served as a warning for the vast legion the commander brought with him. "Oh… shit…"

"Damn!" Perlite looked with sadness at the pegasus knight Cerulean slayed. "At least she led me here, where I am going to slaughter you. Now, I've got two reasons to kill you – for killing one of my best pegasus knights and for causing longtime harm to Apostle Aurite."

"Why the fuck is everyone calling him an 'apostle?'" Annoyed, Cerulean lunged at Perlite, but the Perla Lance parried the Flashing Prince's attack. "He's just an asshole!"

"Yes, he's an asshole who managed to invoke the power of Izanami to rob you of your boyfriend!" Argent replied with an Argentum Lance attack. "And now you're going to pay for your crimes!"

"Urgh…" It didn't help that Cerulean never met Argent in battle, as his fighting style was more superb than he imagined it to be. So superb, in fact, that with no warning, the Chevalier swung the Argentum Lance behind him and stabbed Cerulean's leg in the process. "Shit…"

"Well, this will settle it." Argent twirled the lance around, with the intention to decapitate Cerulean with it. "May Izanami have mercy on you. You'll need it after I sever that head of yours and deliver it to the Apostle."

"Atsushi…" Cerulean clenched his eyes in regret. "Forgive me for… being a… huh?"

"Goodness, what was that?" Perlite looked up to see a wave of airborne enemies approaching. "Those aren't pegasus knights… The wing beats are much heavier."

"Then who in the name of…" Argent squinted to get a better look at the incoming enemies, then nearly went into shock as he identified them. "Dear gods, it's the wyvern riders!"

"You aren't serious! They've got forces that far outnumber our pegasus knights!"

"If we don't retreat now…" Argent began as he mounted Daisuke, "they'll certainly overwhelm us. We cannot let your pegasus knights die in vain, Akoya."

"B-But Ibushi… It will take you a mere few seconds to cut off Cerulean's head! Be done with it, then we can-"

"Enough talk!" In the midst of the conversations, the wyvern rider commander approached Perlite and cut him with his gigantic axe.

"Y-Yeowch!" Perlite, quite wounded from that axe, squeezed his now-bleeding arm.

"Holy shit, Akoya…" Argent began to panic as he snuck his way in front of Perlite and took the reins. "Daisuke, get us out of here!"

"But… But the others… You aren't going to…"

"They're retreating with us. Don't you remember the order I gave?"

"Ibushi…" Perlite clung to his boyfriend and remained as such, even when the pair arrived back at Caerula Adamas headquarters, and to a very distressed Aurite.

"So, did you guys bring me the head of Cerulean?" Aurite soon dismissed his own question as insignificant when he realized how injured Perlite was. "Ah! What happened?"

"Before I could kill Cerulean, we got ambushed by wyvern riders and thus had to make a full retreat. I couldn't quite make out the face of their commander, but he looked pretty imposing. If it weren't for the flying bags of trash that you set up, they would have pursued us, and we would likely all be dead."

"…So, the gods didn't grant us fortune this time." Aurite punched the nearby post, disregarding the splinters he received while doing so. "Dammit! How did I not foresee this? I… Am I not worthy?"

"Apostle?"

"…Don't, Ibushi." Aurite refused Argent's request to console him as he retreated to his bedroom. "I… need some time to think to myself. In the meantime, please tend to Akoya and see to it that he returns to full health."

"Yes, sir." Ibushi, having reverted to normal form along with Akoya, made way for the medical ward.

Meanwhile, Kinshiro threw a fit of anger in his bedroom, causing a huge mess of just about everything in there. "Damn it all! This can't be! How did… my power as the Apostle… fail me?"

Taking note of how distraught his longtime friend appeared, Epinard quelled the other teen with a hug from behind. "Kin-chan… Calm down, because I am here. We're going to kill En-chan soon. The gods will make it so, I know it."

"At-chan…" Kinshiro held the arms that embraced him. "Oh, At-chan… How is it that you know how to placate me even in the worst of times?"

"Because for you, there is no one but me. Isn't that so?"

"Yes…" Kinshiro smirked, burying his face in Epinard's neckline. "Yes, it _is_ so. And that is precisely why the dastard Yufuin can never beat me."


	30. Blazing Ignit

Chapter 30 – Blazing Ignit

I'm _supposed to be the knight in shining armour,_ Cerulean thought to himself as the pegasus knights completely fled from battle. _Oh, well. I suppose some thanks are due._ "Thank you for helping me, dude."

"Any time!" The wyvern rider commander helped Cerulean on his feet, and to the Flashing Prince's shock, he recognized the commander almost immediately.

"It can't be… Gora-san? Since when did you command an entire army?"

"For quite a while, actually." Gora ordered one of his soldiers to tend to Cerulean's wounds. "Why else did you think I chopped wood every day at Kurotama?"

"Because you needed it to run the bath?" Cerulean noticed four other people alongside Gora, who appeared to be more prominent than any ordinary soldiers. "Who might you guys be?"

"We're the previous generation of Battle Lovers," Gora answered as he gestured for Cerulean to mount his wyvern – an offer the Flashing Prince accepted. As Cerulean and the army of wyvern riders took off, Gora continued, "As their leader, I must commend you current Battle Lovers on doing such a great job at holding off Caerula Adamas for as long as you have."

"Thanks. But why did you come back?"

"Other than to save your butt from Perlite and Argent? We want to stop Caerula Adamas from achieving world domination as much as you do. I can tell you right now that the only way that we can truly do that is to defeat the dark god that has Caerula Adamas wrapped around its little finger. It's going to take a lot of effort, but… If we combine my forces with those of the GSA armies and whatever new allies we meet, we can do it."

"Yes, I'm sure of that. Oh, and I thought I'd like to mention that Yumoto is fine. He and the GSA armies are headed to Caerula Adamas headquarters, and should arrive at the same time that we do. For that matter, we should meet a ton of new allies at the headquarters as well."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. Or, at least that's what a hallucination told me… Don't know whether it's true or not, though."

"I bet that it's no mere hallucination, either…" Feeling that he said too much, Gora quickly changed the subject. "A-Anyway, if Yumoto is all right, that's what matters most to me. Dear little brother… May the gods ride with you."

* * *

"Ugh, that buttmunch Akoya…" Vesta grumbled as he brushed off a storm of pegasus feathers that flew in his face. "Who knew that such an irritating person could almost cream me in battle. I can't wait to give him a piece of my mind."

"We just might have to wait on that, Vesta-san," Kurotori began as his army so closely approached Caerula Adamas headquarters. "If you haven't noticed, our forces were nearly wiped out by those pegasus knights. If we want to head into Caerula Adamas without having our army _completely_ killed off, we're going to have to wait for our American and Australian allies to arrive."

"Well, you can cut out the waiting part," Gora began as his army arrived at headquarters, "because we've got all the forces you'll need."

"Gora-chan!" Scarlet readily recognized his brother, giving him a hug as he dismounted his wyvern. "I'm… Sniff… so glad that you're all right…"

"And don't forget about us!" two unfamiliar voices sounded from behind Kurotori.

"Ah, Hugh Jass and Chew Kok." Kurotori knew the two men, who respectively commanded the American and Australian forces, well. "Dear friends, how nice of you to join us."

"I appreciate the help, guys, I really do, but… Now it seems that we have _too_ many soldiers." Gora remarked. "This final battle against Caerula Adamas is going to be too easy."

"…No, it won't." Cerulean cut in. "A massive force is approaching us as we speak."

"About time you showed your pretty face to us!" Kurotori exclaimed. "Where in tarnation were you all this time, Cerulean-san? Was it really that important enough for you to just abandon us?"

"With all due respect, Kurotori-sensei, there isn't any time! They're going to be here any minu-"

"Aw, no fair!" Kou suddenly appeared, making his presence known with his swordplay. "Way to spoil the show, guys!"

"You…!" Sulfur reacted quickly, pounding the ground with the Gaia Axe. "You pests! And before you ask, no, I don't want to do another photoshoot!"

"But don't you want to make a ton of money?" Masuya dodged the huge shock wave generated from the ground, fast approaching Vesta with his sword. "Isn't that what you love most?"

"No…" Sulfur blocked the sword blow from falling upon a distracted Vesta. "There's one thing and one thing only I love more than money… And that is my Ryuu. I refuse to do business with anyone who even thinks about harming him."

"Io…" Moved by Sulfur's dedication to him, Vesta truly felt motivated to return his attention to battle, and threatened the Press Society with an Ignit Arrow. "Stay away from him, you bastards, unless you want to literally burn in hell."

"Shit, is that the legendary Ignit Bow?" Kou grimaced, showing no relent in his attack on Sulfur.

"Yes, and I'm about to show you just how legendary it is!" Vesta declared as he fired the arrow, whose flames set Kou's and Masuya's hair on fire.

"My hair is on fire!" Kou flailed about as he and Masuya distanced themselves from Vesta. "My hair is on fire!"

"Ryuu, thank you…" Forget the fact that he was being swamped with enemies - Sulfur really, _really_ wanted to embrace Vesta and hold onto him for dear life. But he knew that there would be plenty of time for such pleasantries later, after they defeated the three leaders of Caerula Adamas.

"It's true when they say that defeating the enemy commander doesn't necessarily equate to defeating the army…" Gora remarked. "We can't all go in the headquarters. If that's the case, then the Australian forces, American forces, and wyvern riders will distract the Press Society's unit while the Asian armies storm the headquarters."

"Gora-chan, you don't mean that!" Scarlet exclaimed with worry. "Are you telling me that you're going to sacrifice yourself for us?"

"Yumoto, it's the only way."

"B-But Gora-chan!" Scarlet embraced his elder brother, wishing that he didn't have to say such things. "I don't want to leave you!""

"Yumoto, it's going to be fine. Your big brother is built for toughness!"

"…Okay, but please try to stay safe!"

"I will. Now, go!"

After briefly looking back, Scarlet hurried into that maze called Caerula Adamas headquarters, with the entire Asian army behind him.

As his foes infiltrated the headquarters, Aurite took note of the loud marching and clattering of armour. "That noise… It can only mean one thing. The enemy has made it in – curses!"

The fish in the bowl on the desk nearby sighed in discontent. "This is not good, Apostle Aurite… That's the second time you've failed to predict the enemy. Is that really the true power of the oracle of the gods?"

"Lord Hireashi, please!" Aurite pleaded. "Give me another chance! I swear upon my station as the oracle that I will put an end to the enemy and, ultimately, achieve the world domination we desire."

"Very well. Since you begged me, I'll show you a bit of mercy. In fact, I'll be so kind as to give you a… blessing, if you will."

"Blessing? What do you mean?" Aurite questioned as Hireashi arose from the fish bowl.

"I mean this." Hireashi spread his fins wide, creating a disturbance in the lights of the building.

Hireashi made his power quite known to the Battle Lovers, because not long after that disturbance was cast, every single light in the entire building went out.

"Aiee!" Vesta cried, flailing his arms about in an attempt to find someone or something. "Help! I can't see a thing!"

"Ouch!" Sulfur whined as Vesta's hand smacked his face hard. "Watch it!"

"But how can I when it's pitch black?"

"Calm down, both of you!" Scarlet called out as he shook the Lumiere Staff and spoke an incantation. "There. Now, can you please settle down?"

"Oh…" Vesta calmed himself as the lights came back on. "That's better."

In a slightly panicked voice, Scarlet cut in, "I wouldn't necessarily say that it's _all _better…"

"Eh?" Vesta soon realized what Scarlet meant when he realized that he, Scarlet, and Sulfur had gotten separated from the rest of the Asian armies. "Crud! They're all gone!"

"At least there aren't too many monsters," Scarlet observed, as the only sounds that he could hear were that of his own voice and footsteps. "As a matter of fact… Where _did_ the monsters go? For that matter, how could we have gotten separated from everyone in such a short amount of time?"

"It's because you're a dunderhead, that's why," Vesta scolded.

"I dare for you to say that again?!" Scarlet snarled, giving his _sempai_ a light whack with the Lumiere Staff.

"Guys, this is no time for bickering!" Sulfur pointed to a group of enemies in the distance. "The monsters have finally arrived!"

"Holy…" Vesta noted just how many enemies there now were, and began to worry that the three of them couldn't possibly handle them on their own. "Can we… really do this?"

"Sure we can!" Scarlet readied the Lumiere Staff for combat. "…Say, don't these monsters look a bit familiar? That guy can't be…"

"Yaah!" A familiar monster shot some obscure substance at the trio of Battle Lovers. "The power of broth compel you!"

"The Chikuwabu Monster?!" Vesta backflipped his way out of the attack, but in doing so, he landed in a pile of splintered, broken chopsticks.

"The world must be perfectly beautiful and symmetrically even!" exclaimed the Splittable Wood Chopsticks Monster. "And there are three of you! All of you must die!"

"Damn it!" Vesta continued to parry the attacks of the many familiar monsters. "I thought that we defeated all of you!"

"We have, Vesta-sempai." Scarlet pointed at the Splittable Wood Chopstick Monster's arm. "Look, it's blood."

"So, that means that these monsters aren't derived from humans," Sulfur surmised. "They're soulless shells created by Caerula Adamas."

"You bet we are!" exclaimed a voice from behind Vesta. The source of that voice attacked him without notice, entangling the Thrilling Prince in a mess of robotic arms.

"Who the hell…?" Before Vesta could identify who grabbed him, he was suddenly struck by a vigorous fit of tickling. "Hahaha! Let… go of me… Hehehe!"

"It's the Bolt Phantom!" Scarlet growled as he launched a light spell at the monster, which to the Sparkling Prince's dismay turned out to be quite useless.

"Nice try, butthead!" The Bolt Phantom continued to tickle Vesta as a group of enemies approached Scarlet's rear.

"Yoicks…" Scarlet attempted to fend off all of the monsters, but could hardly keep up with their movements.

Sulfur would have joined in, too, but his primary concern was Vesta. The Roaring Prince didn't know why, but there was something about Vesta being mercilessly tickled that perturbed him. Besides, Scarlet's battle prowess had improved enough to where he could fend for himself, at least for the time being. Knowing this, Sulfur charged at the Bolt Phantom with the Gaia Axe, aiming for the monster's feet. "Take your filthy hands off him!"

"But why should I? I'm having a blast tickling this guy!"

"I will not tolerate you touching my Vesta!"

"But it's fuuuun!"

"Unhand him! Unhand him, I say!" With a great effort, Sulfur managed to wrestle Vesta free of the Bolt Phantom's grasp, but now found himself struggling to contain the monster.

"Io!" Vesta attempted to approach his boyfriend, but the Roaring Prince motioned for him to stop.

"Ryuu, do it!" Sulfur turned around while still restraining the Bolt Phantom. "Shoot an Ignit Arrow while I've got him down!"

"O-Okay…" Vesta reluctantly drew an arrow from his quiver and aimed that arrow at the Bolt Phantom. Just as he had the notion to release the arrow, it was then that he remembered why the Ignit Bow was renowned as the most dangerous weapon ever made. _If I shoot this arrow, the Bolt Phantom will certainly die in a sea of flames, but… Those flames will get Io too. So if I shoot this arrow… Io… My precious, beloved Io will…_

"Ryuu, what are you waiting for? I'm not going to be able to hold him down for much longer! Shoot the damned Ignit Arrow already!"

"Io…" For a time, Vesta just held the bow and arrow there as his aim began to wane. He could not tolerate the potential consequences of his actions, and would do anything to prevent those consequences from becoming true – even if that required him to lower the Ignit Arrow, push Sulfur well out of the way, and stab the Bolt Phantom with the arrow as if it were a spear. This action spurred a gigantic wave of fire from the arrow that engulfed both the Bolt Phantom and Vesta's arm. "Aaaaaaargh!"

"Ugh…" The Bolt Phantom began to disintegrate in the flames. "So… close to… defeating… you…"

When the Bolt Phantom had died, and Scarlet had mysteriously defeated the other monsters by himself, Vesta collapsed to the ground, his arm seared by third-degree burns. Before Scarlet could make a motion to heal the Thrilling Prince with the Lumiere Staff, Sulfur stopped him and offered Vesta consolation instead. "Ryuu… You motherfucking idiot! Why did you do that! You should have just shot the arrow, and this injury could have been avoided!"

"Io…" Vesta released his grip on his heavily burnt arm. "You _do_ know that you would have been engulfed in the flames too, yes? I couldn't… I just couldn't let that happen. You see… The pain in my arm and the raw skin peeling off… they're nothing compared to how I'd be consumed by sorrow if my hand took the life of the man I love. I really… I'm really in love with you, Io. I love you so much that I would do this for you every day, even if doing so would take my own life, if it meant that you would get to live another day."

"Ryuu, you… Dear gods, what am I going to do with you?" Sulfur held his boyfriend close to him, caressing the burnt arm as he further consoled the Thrilling Prince with a kiss to his lips.

"I'm wondering if I should be here…" Scarlet didn't know whether to stay and watch this tender moment in admiration, or to leave so he could allow the couple to have some privacy.

"Yumoto…" Sulfur spoke without looking up. "Go on ahead. I will not leave this spot until Ryuu can move on his own. And I'm sure you can do it, too! You've shown just now what a strong, adept fighter you've become."

"Okay, Naruko-sempai… If you insist."

So were the final words Scarlet spoke to the boyfriends before he made way for a large set of doors, opening them to reveal a vast corridor in which he found his other allies.


	31. Gods and Men

Chapter 31 – Gods and Men

"Scarlet-san!" Kurotori felt relieved to see the commander of his mage division – especially considering that by the time he did, his forces probably numbered a mere 300. "Oh, thank the gods you've found us. Would you mind helping us out a little bit?"

"But of course!" Scarlet charged, his Lumiere Staff ready for a flurry of light spells. As Sulfur had predicted, the Sparkling Prince had a prime opportunity to flaunt his battle prowess, evident as a single light spell slayed ten enemies at once.

"Oh, wow…" Justin stared at Scarlet in awe as the Battle Lover defeated the remaining enemies. "Scarlet, I really appreciate your ability to fight and all, but… Where are Sulfur and Commander Vesta?"

"Vesta-sempai's been hurt real bad, so Sulfur-sempai's tending to him. Sulfur-sempai told me he'd join us when Vesta-sempai got better."

"Ooh, ouch… Well, we don't have the time to wait on them." Justin cringed, then pointed at a nearby door. "Scarlet, do you have any idea what's beyond this door?"

Scarlet simply stared at the door, its humongous size, intricate design, and dark colours daunting him. "No… and I'm not sure I want to know."

"This is the lair of the three leaders of Caerula Adamas. In there, we're bound to find Apostle Aurite, who by now is probably the most fearsome fighter in the entire universe."

"You mean… Kusatsu-sempai? What the heck is an 'apostle?'"

"Kinshiro is the apostle of Izanami and apparently has the ability to hear the voices of the gods. When we walk through that door, we're bound to encounter the direct power of the gods… We're in for one hell of a final battle."

"We have to fight Kusatsu-sempai? I… I don't… I don't wanna…"

"Scarlet…" Heywood attempted to console the Sparkling Prince. "I know you love him, but imagine the destruction he'll unleash upon the world if he isn't defeated. You Battle Lovers are all about preventing the loveless from doing loveless things, aren't you?"

"Even so…" Scarlet began to shake from crying. "I haven't even told Kusatsu-sempai how I feel, and… and yet… To have to do such a horrible thing to the man who means the world to me…"

Just then, a familiar voice took the conversation out of everyone's hands. "Well, there's going to be no need to worry about that, because we're going to kill the lot of you right here!"

"Shit!" Justin turned around and quickly fired an arrow. "Kou and Masuya… How the heck did you guys survive the fires from Commander Vesta's Ignit Arrow?"

"All that puny arrow did was set our hair on fire," Kou answered. "Nothing special."

"You guys made it all the way in here…" Scarlet observed. "Does that mean that… Gora-chan is…"

"Yep. And it was a shame, too. He would have made a great addition to Apostle Aurite's army. And you would, too, but the Apostle has ordered me to put an end to all of you."

"…You..." Scarlet growled as he charged at Kou. "You beast! How dare you!"

"Whoa…" Kou didn't expect the petite, seemingly weak Scarlet to be _this_ good in combat. "Your Lumiere Staff isn't just for show!"

"Die!" Scarlet continued his assault on Kou. "This one's for Gora-chan! I will never, ever forgive you for taking him from me! I'm gonna get you, and I'm gonna get you good!"

"Y-Yeowch!" Kou exclaimed as the light spell slashed his chest, creating a gigantic laceration. "I-I can't… Argh…"

"Shit…" Masuya picked Kou up princess style, with the intention to retreat. "Kou, you're not going to be able to fight like this. We need to get out of here, while the rest of the army distracts the Battle Lovers' army."

"But… the show…"

"To hell with the show! I'm going to protect you, and that's final," Masuya declared as he exited the battlefield with Kou.

"Don't you dare get away from me, you assholes!" Before Scarlet could speak another word of an incantation, someone poked his shoulder. Annoyed, Scarlet turned around and exclaimed, "Argh, what is it? I need to get revenge on the person who… killed… Gora-chan?"

"There will be no need for revenge," Gora proclaimed. "Because your big brother held onto his promise, as always."

"Gora-chan!" Scarlet gave Gora a hug, relieved that the wyvern rider commander had survived the battle. He noticed that less than a quarter of Gora's army and his foreign allies have made it into headquarters, though the other four previous Battle Lovers survived. "I'm so sorry that you lost so many of your friends."

"I'm sorry, too – for what that wretch Aurite has done." Gora motioned for everyone to step aside as he aimed his gigantic axe at the large door. "I am going to kill him for the horrors he visited upon my soldiers, my friends. I will have vengeance."

"And I'm going to stand right along side you," Phuckdis declared. "Friend."

Before the two friends could unleash the force needed to open the door, a sudden rain of arrows and lances assaulted the GSA armies.

"Crud!" Gora exclaimed. "Caerula Adamas' archery and pegasus knight divisions are still alive! Not only that, there's tons of them!"

"Well, we're just going to have to fight back, won't we?" Justin smirked as he shot three arrows at once. "In the meantime, Gora-san, you and Phuckdis better open that door while you still can."

"All right…" Phuckdis took a deep breath as he exerted a good deal of force on the door. "Gora, on the count of three, I want you to push the left side of the door with your axe, and I'll push the right side with my beak. Ready… one, two, thr-"

Before Phuckdis could finish the countdown, an enemy archer had found him, knowing well a bird's vulnerability to crossbows. The crossbow arrow hit Phuckdis in the gut, and the shapeshifter soon reverted forms, too weak to retain raven form.

"Dear gods…" Gora caught Phuckdis from the fall as his allies continued to fend off the Caerula Adamas forces. "Phuckdis, no!"

"Go… ra…" Phuckdis groaned, knowing that he didn't have much time left. "I'm sorry, I failed you… I failed everyone…"

"Phuckdis, you were never a failure!" William Chit stooped to caress his younger brother's face. "You are the best brother I could have ever hoped for, and you are a fine soldier."

"Onii-san… Dear Onii-san, I pass the command of my forces to you. Please… For my sake… For the sake of GSA armies everywhere, defeat Caerula Adamas. I know you'll lead my men to victory, because you are that great a soldier, and an even better man."

As Phuckdis died in Gora's and William's arms, the new commander of the Fukuoka army arose, readily transforming into his dragon form. "Yeah… Come on, Caerula Adamas, fight me. I fucking dare you, so I can avenge my brother and show you the might of the dragon."

"Yumoto…" Gora, having just opening the doors, caught his younger brother's attention. "You are the only one among us who has received a direct blessing from the gods, thus you are the only one who so much as stands a chance against Caerula Adamas' leaders. After all, we're talking about facing the direct power of the gods. You and Wombat go through the doors, now, while we hold off Caerula Adamas' forces here."

"Gora-chan… You will survive this battle just like you did the last one, yes?"

"Yes. You have my word."

"Okay. Good luck."

With that, Scarlet gave his brother a quick hug while entering the doors as promised. As the doors shut behind him, he was shocked to be greeted by an eerie silence. "This is… odd. So, the 'direct power of the gods' is to creep me out with silence? Silence is golden, I suppose… but this is going quite far."

It didn't take long for that silence to be interrupted, for Scarlet soon noticed the _clang_ of the sword. That could only mean that very adept swordfighters were duking it out nearby…

And it turned out that Scarlet's supposition had been correct. A few metres down the hall, he found Cerulean fighting Aurite, Argent, and Perlite all by himself. Surprisingly, the Flashing Prince did not sustain any serious injuries, but gods know how long that would last if the Sparkling Prince didn't intervene now… "Cerulean-sempai!"

"Tch!" Aurite soon noticed that irritating Battle Lover. "So, you intend to die with your friend here, hm? Very well. I shall kill you both together."

"Die!" Perlite commanded Daisuke to hit Scarlet with one of his wings, but being very nimble, Scarlet dodged this attack easily. "Damn! He's fast."

"You bet I am!" Scarlet backflipped, hitting Argent in the back of the head with the Lumiere Staff.

"Argh…" Argent, feeling dizzy for a few seconds, soon returned his attention to Scarlet. "You'll regret that, punk!"

Aurite didn't know whether to feel shocked or relieved that Scarlet didn't seem to want to attack him at all. Not that it mattered, anyway, because that buttmunch seemed so distracted that now, the Chevalier could focus his undivided attention on his archenemy. "Well, now we can fight a one-on-one duel… You and me – At-chan's most precious friends. Prepare for a brutal death, courtesy of Izanami."

With these words, Aurite spoke an ancient form of Japanese, invoking the power of the death goddess herself. He became engulfed in shadow, and when that shadow dissipated, black eyeliner and purple lipstick decorated his face. In a highly corrupt voice, he uttered, "I am Dark Aurite, the black Chevalier enshrouded in darkness, and Izanami's apostle. You, with no power of the gods, do not stand a chance against me."

"'No power of the gods…'" Cerulean smirked. "How laughable. To your misfortune, I indeed have godly powers… and I will prove it to you right now. Suijin, god of water, give me strength…"

Cerulean focused all of his energy on the Aqua Blade, which now began to enshroud him in very pristine water. Light soon emerged from the water and radiated about the room. The light and water disappeared to reveal a Cerulean who now wore a pure white Battle Lover uniform and wings. "Dark Aurite… As More Better Battle Lover Cerulean, I will kill you and bring the world the peace it deserves. I hope you've said your prayers to Izanami, because after today, you will not see daylight ever again."

Wombat, having watched Cerulean's transformation, felt amazed – not just because the transformation itself was beautiful, but also because the transformation confirmed one of his long-held suspicions. _So… So it's true. It wasn't Zaou-san after all. Yufuin-san… Yufuin-san is the true-_

Before Wombat could complete his thought, a dark ball of energy flew in his face, which he could barely avert. "Yikes!"

"How dare you attack Wombat!" Cerulean exclaimed, launching a shock wave at Dark Aurite. "I thought you were going to fight one-on-one with _me?_"

"Oh, I am…" Dark Aurite grinned evilly as he barrel rolled, swinging at Cerulean's feet with the Aurum Blade. "You're just terrible at dodging attacks."

"No, _you're_ bad at launching them!" Cerulean answered, easily evading the Aurum Blade.

"We'll see who's bad at launching them… when I bring out yet another gift of Izanami."

"Eh?"

"Yes!" Epinard came out of hiding with a flurry of Hurricane Dagger attacks. "Finally, I get to take part in En-chan's death."

"Atsushi..." Cerulean parried Epinard's attacks just fine, but had no will power to actively attack the Piercing Prince. "I thought that you wouldn't betray me ever again?"

"Hm?" Epinard sneered. "What could you possibly be talking about…"

Now, not only did Cerulean not want to fight his boyfriend, he honestly had no will power to fight at all. He didn't care that the Piercing Prince now readied what could be a potentially fatal blow on Cerulean. _If Atsushi would be the one to kill me, then it might not be so bad after all…_

"No!" a familiar voice intervened. "Leave Yufuin-sempai alone!"

"'Yufuin-sempai?'" Epinard worked to identify the two soldiers who attacked him. "There are only two people other than Scarlet who call them that, and they are…"

"Naruko-sempai! Zaou-sempai!" Scarlet felt both shocked and thankful that his fellow Battle Lovers could join the fight. "I'm so glad you guys are all right! Zaou-sempai, how are you feeling?"

"Never better!" Vesta held up a fist to flaunt his vitality. "Thanks to my wonderful boyfriend. You think that a mere burnt arm can bring me down?"

"Great, now I've got more of you guys to worry about!" Epinard groaned in annoyance and began to assault Sulfur and Vesta. "Go away, why don't you!"

"How about let's not and say we did?" Vesta replied.

Irritated that he could no longer use Epinard to meet his ends, but satisfied that he now had a prime opportunity to take the life of his most hated enemy, Dark Aurite returned his attention to Cerulean. "Well, at least this now means I can personally be the one to end your life. I can't wait to squeeze the very life from you and hear your agonizing cries while I do it."

"I dare you to try, cur!" Cerulean answered the dark orb coming at him with a powerful beam of water. For a time, the two stood at a stalemate, and the other fighters simply stared in admiration.

"Fight on, Apostle…" Argent, who with his boyfriend had been incapacitated by Scarletw, spoke. "Fight on…"

"Yufuin-sempai…" Sulfur continued to stare. "Please… Please win…"

"Hah!" Epinard retorted, knocking Sulfur, Vesta, and Scarlet off their feet with a small cyclone. "Like hell he will! En-chan is going to get defeated by Apostle Kinshiro, and he's going to get defeated _good_."

"Did you hear that?" Dark Aurite grinned, his morale highly boosted by Epinard's words. "Even your pretty little boyfriend knows you're going to die. How unfortunate for you; I almost want to give you a merciful death."

"Kinshiro, why?" Cerulean felt his ability to parry Dark Aurite's attacks diminish somewhat. "Why do you hate me so much? What in the name of all the gods did I do to you?"

Cerulean soon wish that he didn't say what he did, because for whatever reason his words only increased Dark Aurite's anger – and the might behind his sword strikes. "What did you do to me? _What did you do to me?!_ Oh, I'll fucking tell you what you did to me! You've taken my precious At-chan from me… At-chan, the one who I cared about more than anyone else in the world…Thanks to you, he…"

"Kinshiro, what the hell are you getting at?"

Ignoring Cerulean's question, Dark Aurite's onslaught now reached a terrifying extreme. "Why? Why the hell did he choose _you?_ Why did he choose you when I've known him for longer? When I've been in love with him for so long?"

_Oh, gods…_ Cerulean temporarily released his grip on his sword to contemplate those sorrowful words. _Kinshiro, I… I had no idea that you…_

"Ha!" Dark Aurite took advantage of how distracted his foe appeared, using an Aurum Blade highly charged with dark energy to slash the Flashing Prince across the legs.

"Argh…" Cerulean could no longer stand, as the blood and pain from his legs would not allow him to. _So… this is where… it ends…_

"You are done for this time, you cur." Dark Aurite aimed the Aurum blade at Cerulean. "It's a pity, really. At-chan is now mine forever, thanks to my powers as Izanami's apostle. Even if by some odd chance you happened to defeat me, the goddess has At-chan under her control forever. You would never be able to win him back."

It did not take long for the reality of Dark Aurite's words to sink in. No matter how dearly he wanted the words to be false, Cerulean knew that the Chevalier was right – Atsushi had truly been corrupted to the point that he could never be his again. That Atsushi had broke his vow that he would never truly betray En only exacerbate the emotional pain greatly. _I suppose… that's what I get for challenging someone who had been friends with Atsushi longer._

"What's wrong? Are you so ready to die that you're not even taking advantage of me giving you a chance for last words?"

"What's the point in living if Atsushi has betrayed me, abandoned me, and can never be with me again? My only wish was to be beside the one I love. If that is not to be, then it matters not what happens to me."

"Whine about your precious boyfriend all you like." Dark Aurite moved the Aurum Blade to signify his intention to impale Cerulean's chest with it. "It's not going to stop me from drenching the ground with your blood."

At this point, Cerulean really didn't care anymore. He wish that Dark Aurite didn't spend so much time charging the Aurum Blade with dark energy, because all he wanted now was to die, if living meant that he had to live in a world without Atsushi by his side. _At least I am going to die knowing how much I truly loved Atsushi… and knowing that I died for him._


	32. Cocokara Curry

Chapter 32 - Cocokara Curry

_I ran as fast as I could before it was too late. The curry place could close any minute, rendering my coupon useless. I didn't care how awkward it was to eat at such a restaurant by myself – I loved curry, and I would be willing to do just about anything to get it, especially at a decent price._

_In the middle of my eagerness to get to Cocokara Curry, I failed to noticed the crack I tripped over, and prepared to meet a not-so-pleasant face plant with the ground. That was until a kind individual had stopped me from making that so as he grabbed my wrist._

_"Th-Thanks." I turned to see the face of the boy who saved me from a potentially humiliating moment. To my surprise, it had been that one lazy kid who would sleep through just about every class, yet somehow managed to get good marks on tests. …Yufuin En, I think his name was?_

_"Kinugawa-chan? Where are you going?"_

_I had no idea how Yufuin learned my name, or why he thought he had the familiarity to use that suffix, but the kid saved me from a nasty fall. So I think I might let it slide… just this once. "Cocokara Curry."_

_"That's right. Today's their extra-spicy curry day."_

_"Yufuin, you like curry?"_

_"Pretty well."_

_Ooh! Never did I think that I'd meet someone who enjoyed curry as much as I did. In that case, I think we could be good friends. "Want to go with me? I have a coupon."_

_To my astonishment, Yufuin retrieved a coupon from his breast pocket. "So do I."_

_Yay, a new friend! Too excited that I could spend time with a fellow curry fan, I now started my walk to Cocokara with Yufuin as the other boy began, "If I had to choose which I hate more, mild curry or stinky _natto_, I'd choose mild curry any time."_

_"That's right. There are people who find even the mild stuff spicy."_

_This seriously had to be the most ridiculous conversation ever to take place. A discussion about the intricacies of food? Oh, well. It was a fun conversation, and that was what mattered. _

_Little did I know that I would treasure this first date forever, and that this memory would be what broke me free of the darkness._

* * *

Dark Aurite had now fully charged the Aurum Blade to where not only the sword, but also the Chevalier's entire body had become enshrouded in shadow. "I'm about to deliver your death blow upon you, Yufuin. I know how much you oh so badly want it."

_Oh, good…_ Cerulean thought as he now truly resigned himself to death. _I finally get to leave in this world with no Atsushi. Ah…_

Cerulean let out a holler of pain as Dark Aurite's sword pierced flesh. As he brought his hand to his heart in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding, the lack of the sword shocked him. Nonetheless, he still felt blood, as it had splattered across his entire body.

It was at that point that Cerulean knew: someone else had taken Dark Aurite's attack for him. Upon learning of who that person was, Cerulean felt his world crumble to pieces.

"A-Atsushi!" Cerulean yelled. He could not believe the reality of the sight before him. A sword glistened in blood as its blade pierced Epinard's heart and its hilt coldly pricked his skin. The pain the wound inflicted on Epinard seared through his body, though the emotional toil it took on Cerulean eclipsed it. Blood continued to pour out of the wound as Dark Aurite withdrew and dropped the Aurum Blade, instantly regretting what he had done.

_I… _Dark Aurite stared at his blade in horror. He couldn't bear to even motion towards it. _Is the blood that stains my blade… really that of At-chan? So, the one thing… the one thing that Zundar said would break Izanami's curse… It's if At-chan sees the man he loves in grave danger._

"Atsushi!" Cerulean continued to wail as he held a moribund Epinard in his blood-stained arms. "Atsushi, don't-"

"En-chan…" Epinard strained to speak. "You have no idea… how glad I was… to hear that you were willing to die for me. But I don't… want you to die…"

"I don't want you to die, either!" Cerulean's tears flowed endlessly. "I love you too much! To me, you're basically air! I can't live without you!"

"You'll be… fine, En-chan." Epinard reached a cold hand out to his lover. "Come on, lighten up!"

"B-But…" Cerulean grabbed the hand offered to him and kissed it, desperate to restore warmth into it.

"I'm just… like the villain from that Greek video game, aren't I?" Epinard managed a giggle. "Making great sacrifices for you... Didn't I tell you that I'd never truly betray you? Because… my love for you is that profound. My sacrifice… My sacrifice for your life is the symbol of our vows."

"Atsushi, don't you fucking dare talk like that!" Cerulean wailed. "You… You can't…"

"I'll watch over you." Epinard felt his breath about to run out. He gasped for every bit of air he could get before he managed to tell Cerulean, "So… You don't… need to… worry…"

"Atsushi…" Cerulean paused as he awaited a reply. As he received none, he knew his worst fear had been confirmed. He couldn't withstand the void that this loss, this absolutely unbearable loss, caused in his heart, now forever imbued with sorrow. "Atsushi? No! No, this can't be! Atsushi! Dear… dear gods… Aaaaaaaargh!"

"Yufuin-sempai…" Scarlet, with his other allies, attempted to console the grieving Battle Lover. "I'm so sorry… There was nothing I could do to save Kinugawa-sempai."

"Don't worry about me, Yumoto." Using Scarlet as a crutch, Cerulean arose, aiming a devastating glare and the Aqua Blade at his lover's killer. "Kinshiro… I swear by all that is good that I will never forgive you for taking Atsushi from me. You better pray, hope, beg, and plead that you won't get the shit beaten out of you in the afterlife. Because here on Earth, I'm about to give you a mutilation so horrendous that you will regret ever incurring my wrath."

"…" For a time, Dark Aurite only stood there in silence and shame of what he had done.

"Apostle?" Argent managed to arise, baffled as to why the golden Chevalier did not move, despite Cerulean's charge at the three Caerula Adamas leaders. "Apostle Aurite, snap out of it!"

"Die, Kinshiro!" Cerulean lunged, his Aqua Blade engulfed in pure water. "Die for what you've done!"

"Apostle!" Perlite grabbed both Dark Aurite and the Aurum Blade, intending to leave the lair with Dark Aurite and Argent. "Let's get out of here!"

"Shit!" Cerulean missed his target by quite a mark. With little effort, the three Caerula Adamas leaders left the room, leaving only the five Battle Lovers remaining.

"Yufuin-sempai…" Scarlet spoke up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine…" Cerulean began as he reclaimed Epinard's body. "I'm worried about Atsushi's family, though… They're going to be devastated. Nonetheless, I've got to bring him back to the Kinugawa household right awa-"

_No, Cerulean._ A mystery voice told the Flashing Prince. _There will be time for that… But for now, something really, really bad is about to happen._

"Oh, really? What?"

_The dark god… The dark god is going to wreak havoc on the world. Unfortunately, his energy is so corrupt that I can't pinpoint his location exactly… So you're going to have to find him for me._

"…Okay." Still carrying Epinard princess style, Cerulean resolved to locate the dark god, despite having very little idea where he might be.

"Dear gods, you're not going to go off on those hallucinations again, are you?" Vesta whined.

"You bet I am. Ryuu, do you remember the last time my hallucinations steered us wrong?"

"Well, no… Yufuin-sempai, are you sure about this? You don't even know where the hallucinations are coming from."

"That's right, I don't… But whoever's giving them to me, I trust them. Now, let's go defeat a dark god!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Argent and Perlite didn't care about world domination anymore, not after the emotional mess everyone endured and had to attend to. Aurite was both emotionally and physically beaten, and more than anything he needed medical attention. Luckily, they knew the layout of their own headquarters well, making it relatively easy to find the exit. Perlite grumbled, however, because his feet were so sore and his boots began to erode at the soles. "Dammit… I can't believe we lost Daisuke in all this mess. If only we had him, we could be out of here in no time."

"You won't be getting out of here, at least not alive," spoke a familiar, daunting voice.

"Lord Hireashi!" Aurite gasped, terrified by Hireashi's looming presence. "We were... just about to-"

"Silence!" Hireashi's body began to grow large. "I have had enough of your failures for one day! Begone, all of you!"

"Lord Hireashi..." Aurite took a few steps back, fearful of what Hireashi could have planned. "What are you... Ah!"

Before any of the Caerula Adamas leaders could contemplate what was really going on, a dungeon door opened behind them, and the now-outrageously huge fish pushed them thence. Locking the door tightly shut, Hireashi cackled, "This is where you failures belong! Stay there and rot, why don't you! Hahahahaha!"

When the evil fish had left, Perlite aimed the Perla Lance at the dungeon door, ready to tear that door down with all his might if need be. "Crud! This door is shut really tightly! Ibushi, a little help please?"

"Gladly, love." Argent began to beat the door down with the Argentum Lance, but to very little avail. "Dammit! No matter how hard we try, this door will not budge a centimeter! Still, to die in this cell... I'd rather die trying to break free than die having done nothing."

"..." Despite how his allies toiled to open the door, Aurite had no motivation whatsoever to do anything but stare at the ground as he sat embracing his knees.

"Kinshiro, help us!" Argent requested. "Maybe if you did, we could bust out if here!"

"I don't see the point it that."

"Oh, there's a point in it, all right - if you care to live," Perlite answered.

"Except that I don't." Aurite's face contorted in sadness. "I killed the man I loved out of pure greed for his heart. I ignored how he loved his boyfriend dearly enough to sacrifice his life for him. Not even the might of the gods could keep those two from loving each other and proving the depth of their love... I should have seen it sooner, that At-chan and I just weren't meant to be as romantic partners. And now that I have ignored the signs and have to deal with the crime of having killed one of my dearest friends, I deserve only a brutal and slow death. What better way to achieve that than to rot in this dungeon, while the pain of hunger and fatigue plague me?"

Deciding that he had enough of Aurite's self-loathing, Perlite stooped down and gave his dear friend a hug. "Kinshiro-sempai, stop it! Stop... Stop hating yourself like this. You're breaking my heart. Let me just say that you're in no way worthless, that you are so dear to us."

"Akoya..." Aurite began to calm down.

"Besides..." Argent cut in. "If Kinugawa were here, what do you think he'd say? Would he condone your self-loathing?"

Aurite soon realized the foolishness of his ways as he began to arise. "...No. He'd want me to fight and live on."

"Be strong, Kinshiro." Argent offered Aurite the Aurum Blade. "Fight in Kinugawa's name, as one of his best friends."

"That's right..." Aurite reclaimed his sword. "This blade may have done something unthinkable... But with it, I have the power to make sure that At-chan's sacrifice wasn't in vain."

"And you know it... don't you?" Zundar cut in. "You know who Yufuin En, the one known as Battle Lover Cerulean, really is."

"Yes, and that is part of the reason why I am going to protect him."

So spoke Aurite as with the might of his sword and the help of his friends, he tore the door down, ready to make good on his new resolve.


	33. Manteio

Chapter 33 – Manteio

"Hey, guys!" Aurite greeted the Press Society and their unit. "You need a hand?"

"Thank the gods!" Kou exclaimed as he endured multiple injuries whilst fighting off some of Hireashi's lackeys. Luckily, he had just slain the last one, so now he could spend the time to chat with Caerula Adamas. "Where the hell were you guys all this time?"

"Locked in a stinky dungeon, thanks to that blasted Hireashi," Perlite replied.

"So…" Masuya began. "Hireashi is the real enemy – everyone's enemy, both ours and that of the Battle Lovers."

"Precisely," answered Aurite.

"And you intend to so easily ally yourselves with someone who just a handful of minutes ago was your worst enemy?"

"Yes. We can trust Cerulean, and we must find him at once, because there's something very important that I need to tell him."

"Besides an apology?" Kou asked.

"Yes, and it's very pressing. We need to find the Battle Lovers right away, before they do something so rash as to challenge Hireashi without Cerulean knowing that he is the-"

Before Aurite could finish, a loud _neigh_ could be heard in the distance. When Perlite turned around, he felt so assured to see not only the remainder of his pegasus knight unit, but also his cherished pegasus, whom he readily embraced. "Daisuke! There you are! I'm so glad that you're alive."

"Commander Perlite! Captain Argent! Apostle Aurite!" One of Perlite's best pegasus knights dismounted his pegasus and knelt before Perlite. "It is an honour to see you again. We are ready to fulfill our duties as both personal protectors to Apostle Aurite and as your soldiers. What are your orders, sir?"

"Daisuke is too wounded to carry anyone, so the five of us are going to have to mount other pegasi. I need five volunteers, so that we-"

Daisuke's neighing interrupted the Chevalier as he nestled his face into Perlite's shoulder.

"What is it, Daisuke?" Perlite interpreted what his pegasus was trying to tell him. "You… You can't be serious! You're not going to try to carry all five of us in the condition that you're in?! I can't allow it!"

Daisuke's whinnying continued to persist, however, and soon Perlite realized that his pegasus' resolve would not budge. "Daisuke… You'd do all that for us?"

Daisuke nodded.

"You're… such a good friend." For a moment, Perlite embraced Daisuke's neck, so thankful that his pegasus was willing to fight as hard as the rest of them. "All right. But if you get tired, you really ought to rest and let some of the other pegasi take us, okay?"

Daisuke neighed again as Caerula Adamas and the Press Society mounted him, suggesting how eager he was to just get going already. The pegasus knight unit took off, knowing that they had little time before Hireashi unleashed his wrath upon the universe.

* * *

_The dark god's energy is growing even more corrupt…_ The mystery voice continued to speak to Cerulean. _I'm so, so sorry that I can't help you…_

"Dude, it's okay. You being here and offering me reassurance is good enough." Cerulean smiled as he and the Battle Lovers rushed through a stream of enemies. Despite how he carried Epinard on his back, and despite that he had been lethargic for a good deal of his life, the Flashing Prince moved with astounding speed. "Though I have to ask you, if you don't mind… Who are you? And what's the story behind all the hallucinations I've been getting ever since that murky water incident?"

_You'll find out soon enough… Someone will tell you really soon-_

"Yaaah!" One of Hireashi's soldiers assaulted Cerulean from behind. "Death upon you all!"

"Ack!" Cerulean blocked the attack quite well, but not without struggle. "Dammit, why are there so many of them? Is that asswipe Kinshiro nearby?"

"Yes…" Sulfur surmised, cutting a row of enemies down with the Gaia Axe. "Yes, he must be."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that. These enemies are absolutely butt ugly," Vesta observed. "They're not even human. If Kusatsu-sempai is commanding them, then he must have some weird power that we don't know about…"

"You mean Aurite?" One of the enemies scoffed. "That absolute failure of an Apostle? That child, who has absolutely no power against the almighty god Hireashi? How dare you associate us, Hireashi's most loyal servants, with that wretch!"

"Hireashi is… a god?" Cerulean questioned. "So, he must be the dark god that the mysterious voice warned me about. He's the one that, because he's so corrupt, that mysterious voice can't help us locate him."

"You…" The lackey pointed his sword angrily at Cerulean. "You heard the mysterious voice? Then… Then you must be… _him._"

"You mean you know something about my hallucinations? Tell me, now!"

"No way!" The lackey barrel rolled and aimed for Cerulean's wrists, but missed by a good deal. "You think I'm going to give you guys the upper hand against Hireashi with such vital information?"

"You might as well!" Cerulean fought back. "Because you bastards are all going to die, anyway!"

"No, _you_ are! And you're about to see why!" The lackey screeched, nearly piercing the eardrums of all who listened. The screech was beyond anything the Battle Lovers had ever heard, as it bore resemblance to a banshee's cry, except far worse. In its horrid sound, the screech had summoned a bunch of enemies that appeared undead and ready to bring the Battle Lovers down.

"Son of a…" Cerulean turned around to see yet another wave of enemies to his rear. "Guys, I think we're quite outnumbered… There's only four of us, and gods know how many of the enemy."

"Can we cry uncle now?" Scarlet giggled halfheartedly as he clung to Cerulean. "Cerulean-sempai, I'm scared…"

"Yes, tremble in fear, you puny human!" The enemy leader taunted. "We're going to make sure the lot of you knows well the way of pain – especially _you_, Battle Lover Cerulean. We're going to put an end to you and any hopes humanity has against the god."

"No, you're not!" cried a voice, accompanied by a flurry of wingbeats. "Leave them alone!"

"Oh, good…" Cerulean readily surmised that his saviours were Gora and his wyvern rider army. "Gora-san, thanks again for saving my life for the second… time?"

"That can't be… Kusatsu-sempai? And Arima-sempai and Gero, too!" Vesta wasn't exactly ecstatic about the fact that one of his saviours turned out to be that pompous buffoon Akoya, but if the guy was going to save his ass, then so be it.

"You will leave Cerulean-sempai alone at once!" Perlite demanded, generating a beautiful pink shock wave with the Perla Lance.

"They're quite… intent on protecting me, aren't they?" Cerulean thought aloud, letting Perlite and his pegasus knights do the work.

"Yufuin, watch out! Behind you!" Aurite alerted the Flashing Prince of the enemy leader, who approached Cerulean from behind.

"Eh…?"

Unfortunately, there was no way that Cerulean could have had time to react after seeing the enemy leader… So Aurite decided to save the guy with a quick shot of the Aurum Arrow.

"Urk!" The enemy leader began to dissolve into the ground and surprisingly, so did his cohorts. "How could… such an inferior cur… defeat servants of the great Hireashi…"

Sulfur contemplated the enemy's sudden, complete demise for a while before saying, "Well… I suppose this is that rare instance in which defeating the enemy commander _does_ equate to defeating the army. Go figure."

"At any rate, thanks, you… guys!" Cerulean stopped himself when he saw that face that he despised so much – the face of the man who did unspeakably awful things.

"Yufuin…" Aurite trembled slightly, hopeful that his next words could placate Cerulean a little. "I thank the gods for knowing that you're all right… And you have At-chan with you, too. That's good."

"Stay… away…" In a jerk reaction, Cerulean pointed the Aqua Blade at Aurite and threatened a shock wave. "Get the fuck out of my face, before I impale your gut!"

"Hey, hey, now…" Argent attempted to calm Cerulean down. "Play nice. We mean no harm."

"Yes, Yufuin-sempai!" Scarlet held Cerulean. "Kusatsu-sempai and his friends have helped save our lives. And this is how you thank him?"

"Grr…" Cerulean reluctantly lowered his sword. "Okay, fine, I'll let you guys live… But Kinshiro, I demand a full explanation from you. Why are you here, and why did you turn on your allies?"

"Those craven curs are not my allies, make no mistake about that," Aurite reassured. "Not after what they've done to us."

"What did they do?" Cerulean scoffed, still showing little sympathy for Aurite. "Push you into a dungeon or something?"

"…" Aurite's rather somber expression would have broken Cerulean's heart, had the Battle Lover not had any enmity for the man.

"Oh, man… Seems to me like you guys have been through some really tough shit."

"Indeed, we have… You see, after you chased us out of our lair, Hireashi condemned us as failures for not putting an end to you guys. We got locked in a dungeon, and I had no motivation at all to want to break free… That was until I realized how wrong I was for taking At-chan from you, for letting greed rule my heart. If it weren't for my friends, I… I likely wouldn't have even wanted to live."

"Kinshiro…" Cerulean couldn't possibly want Aurite's blood now, not after feeling the sincerity of the Chevalier's words.

"But that's not the only reason for me wanting to break free. Yufuin, you are aware of Hireashi's intention to destroy the universe, yes?"

"How did you know about that? And yes, I am aware. A hallucination told me."

"So… So, my suspicions are right… You really _are_ the one. You really are humanity's last hope against Hireashi."

"What the heck are you getting at? Do you mean to tell me you know where my hallucinations are coming from?"

"Yes, I do. Those are not mere hallucinations, Yufuin… Those are the voices of the gods."

"W-What?!" Argent exclaimed. "But Apostle, _you_ are the oracle of the gods! You're the one who can hear their voices… right?"

"No, Ibushi. I am not even the real apostle. I cannot hear the voices of the gods – I never could. Any victories I might have help bring to us were just mere coincidences. I suspected for quite some time that someone else had to be the true oracle… When I failed to predict the GSA armies coming into headquarters, those suspicions turned into certainty."

"But you summoned Izanami!" Perlite exclaimed. "You even used her direct power in your fight against Yufuin-sempai!"

"That was only because the goddess wanted me to see the errors of my ways." Aurite began to quiver in his tone of voice. "I… I even lied to you two all this time, just to save my own skin… I've knowingly deceived you, and no amount of apologies can ever account for this…"

Perlite knelt, sad to see his dear friend break down crying yet again. "Kinshiro-sempai, did you honestly think that we're only friends with you because we thought you could hear the voices of the gods? If that's the case, then you've got another thing coming."

"Huh?"

"Even if you are not an apostle, you are still the one, true leader of Caerula Adamas. But more importantly than that… you are our friend."

"That's right!" Argent added. "If it were necessary, I would die in your place."

Aurite's eyes filled with tears of joy because his allies did not let up on their friendship at all, despite how he knowingly lied to them. "…I am… blessed. Not by the voice of the goddess, but by loyalty like yours. I'm… I don't know what I've done to warrant such wonderful friends, b-but… but I…"

If he didn't have complete sympathy and remorse for the poor Aurite, Cerulean certainly did now. Nothing cast pain on the emotions like betraying a friend – and he knew that pain well, after the time when the Socially Withdrawn Phantom had manipulated him to say awful things to Atsushi.

"Hehe…" Vesta wasn't sure if he liked the spotlight suddenly turning to him like this, especially because of such a creepy guy like Aurite. "So, Yufuin-sempai, I guess you now know why I've had an inferiority complex with you."

"I see your point," Wombat cut in. "I thought that you was the oracle, but… After all that happened with Cerulean-san, I soon learned who the real apostle was."

"So…" Cerulean had to stop this complex conversation from continuing, at least until he could gage what was going on. "Do you guys mean to tell me that I am…"

"Yes, Yufuin, you are," Aurite answered. "You are the true oracle of the gods, and apostle of Suijin."

"Oh…" Cerulean just stood there, the revelation hitting him with surprise. "That's… um… pretty deep…"

"Oh, what a joy it is to learn of who our saviour is!" Aurite grinned and knelt before the Flashing Prince. "All hail Yufuin… No, Apostle Cerulean!"

"Um, guys?" Cerulean wasn't quite used to be treated so formally. The sight of all his allies, as well as former enemies, kneeling before him in reverence scared him. "This is a bit much, don't you think?"

"Not at all." Aurite took Cerulean's left hand and kissed it. "I hereby swear my complete loyalty to you, Your Eminence."

Cerulean blushed, feeling a little uncomfortable but at the same time proud that someone could care about him this much. "So… Do I, like, have to do anything special or anything, now that I'm this 'apostle' guy?"

"Well, not really," Aurite replied as he and the others arose. "Unless you count saving the universe from a dark god as 'special.'"

_And it indeed _is_ special,_ spoke a voice in Cerulean's mind.

"What is it this time?"

_Cerulean… I am the god Omoikane. I've come to tell you that I've finally located the dark god Hireashi… But you have to hurry, before his power grows more fearsome. He should be a few meters down that corridor, in a room about twice the size of the lair in which you fought Aurite._

"Well, that settles it." Cerulean began to motion for everyone to follow him, but paused. "Wait, don't say it. I bet you guys think I'm just talking to myself again, don't you?"

"After learning of your true identity? No way!" Aurite replied. "I will not ignore the words of one who has spoken with the voice of the gods. Just lead the way, and I will follow you. Let's fight… Let's do this for At-chan."

"Kinshiro…" Cerulean looked at his new ally with sincerity. "All right. Let's do this."

And with that, Cerulean led his dear friends to their true final battle, letting the bonds of friendship strengthen his determination to make everything right.


	34. A Grasping Truth

Chapter 34 - A Grasping Truth

Cerulean knew that time was truly of the essence. Already, a wasteland resided in the formerly wonderful place known as Binan High, where brambles and rubble covered the land. If that was a mere taste of Hireashi's power, then his wrath would cause far more destruction… It was only a matter of time before the dark god would spread the wrath he unleashed upon Binan High to all of Japan – and, ultimately, the entire universe. Cerulean would not let anyone stop him from his goal – he had sworn in Atsushi's good name, after all. This new vow he made to his boyfriend would be his strength and his determination to save the world and reclaim the peace he once knew.

"Apostle Cerulean!" Perlite pointed to a large group in the distance. "Look! There are soldiers waiting at the door for us!"

"Oh, no…" Aurite gasped. "Those dragon wings… That could only mean that they're Hireashi's lackeys. The dark god is known for deploying dragons, so we're in for quite a battle."

"…No, they're not Hireashi's soldiers," Cerulean answered. "They're on our side."

"Are you certain? But who on our side could possibly have dragons?"

"Oh, there's one person I know…" Scarlet cut in as he sped ahead of everyone, heading straight for one of the commanders. "Gora-chan!"

"Yumoto?" Gora barely felt prepared for the hug that launched itself at him. "There you are! Where have you… been…"

"Um…" Aurite gave a nervous wave as Gora recognized him. "Hey, there."

"You… You scum!" Gora charged at Aurite with his Makiwari Axe. "I'm going to have your head for Phuckdis' death, and for nearly annihilating my friends! Die alrea- Huh? Yumoto, what are you doing?"

Scarlet had jumped in front of Aurite to protect him, causing Gora to bring his wyvern to a halt. "Gora-chan, please don't! Kusatsu-sempai is a good guy now. We can trust him – I promise!"

"But Yumoto! He's the scum of the Earth! Step aside, because I need to have his head! That sorry excuse of an apostle will-"

"Gora-san, please hear me out…" Aurite held up a "stop" gesture. "Your brother is right. I mean no ill will upon you, and I swear that on the good name of the gods. Furthermore, I must tell you that I am not the real apostle – His Eminence Cerulean is. I started to follow him after I had inadvertently killed At-chan, and Izanami made me realize how wrong I was."

"I… kind of figured that for a while." Gora, with his enmity towards Aurite slightly lessened, dismounted his wyvern and knelt before the Flashing Prince. "My deepest condolences and respects to you, Your Eminence."

"Likewise." Kurotori, who like Gora, William, Chew, and Hugh had arrived at the corridor with his own forces, followed suit. "We ride with you, Apostle, even through death if need be."

"Okay, this 'Your Eminence' and 'Apostle' stuff is _really_ starting to creep me out, guys. You don't need to be so formal."

"But it's only proper." Aurite spoke up. "Give us your orders, and we will but follow."

"All right, if you're going to act like that, why don't the three of you help me open this door? It's about twice the size of the last one we had to open, so I'm going to need a ton of help."

"At once!" The three men spoke in chorus as they followed orders.

"Ugh, this door may need a few more people to open," Cerulean whined, soon after hearing commotion going on from the other side of the door. It sounded quite unlike anything he had heard before, and he couldn't quite put a finger on it. "What could that be? I think… lightning bolts, wisps of wind and fire, maybe? And… Ah…"

"Apostle? What is it?" Aurite asked, temporarily releasing the force he exerted on the door. "What do you hear?"

"Oh, son of a…" Cerulean's heart sunk at the deep, loud noise fast approaching the door. Fearing greatly for everyone's safety, Cerulean ordered, "Everyone, get away from the door, now!"

Everyone seemed to follow orders just fine, but for some odd reason, Aurite took a bit long to react. "Eh?"

To Aurite's fortune, Scarlet noticed the huge noise and its source approaching the Chevalier. Without a second thought, the Sparkling Prince blocked the attack that proved powerful enough to obliterate the entire door - and cast a pretty big wound on Scarlet.

"Holy..." Forget the fact that his entire troupe now faced a swarm of bizarre spirit creatures - right now, Aurite's primary concern was Scarlet. "You... absolute imbecile. Why did you disobey His Eminence's orders? Look, you're bleeding profusely!"

"Hah..." Scarlet laughed his left shoulder wound off as if it were nothing. "So I am."

"You've got to do something about it, before-"

"Kusatsu-sempai, I'm fine. I'm just glad you're all right."

"..."

"Besides, En-chan-sempai wants us to defeat the 'dark god...' or whatever. Isn't that what we should concentrate on?"

"Okay, if you insist..." Aurite showed reluctance in his voice as he switched the Aurum Blade to bow form. "But if that wound becomes too much, I'll tend to it. After all, I haven't paid you back for that time you so wonderfully encased my hand in a mitten of gauze!"

"Aw, you remember!" Scarlet, reassured by this memory, arose and aimed the Lumiere Statf at a thunder-like enemy. "Okay, sure. That's very sweet of you, Kusatsu-sempai. But don't worry - I'll fight for the both of us! …Wait, look over there. Naruko-sempai doesn't look so good."

"Ugh…" Sulfur looked like he was about to keel over as three wind-like monsters plummeted him with gusts of wind. With a great _thud,_ the Gaia Axe dropped to the ground as Sulfur proceeded to follow. "I… can't take it anymore…"

_Crud… Io's greatest weakness is wind. Well, I know one great way to fix _this_ problem, _Vesta thought as he shot three arrows at once, and immediately after the wind monsters disappeared, he caught Sulfur from a fall. "Io! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Sulfur insisted on arising on his own. "This is nothing compared to that burn from the Ignit Arrow you suffered. And thank you again for saving me, my Thrilling Prince."

"You're welcome…" Vesta blushed, and would have let himself get lost in pleasant conversation with his boyfriend, had they not had a dark god to defeat. "Yufui- I mean, Apostle Cerulean…"

"Like I said," Cerulean rolled his eyes. "you can drop the 'Apostle' part. Anyway, what?"

"Where is this 'dark god' located, exactly?" Vesta looked about the ridiculously spacious chamber, annoyed that all he could see were spirit monsters and more spirit monsters. "Can't you use your oracle powers or something?"

"I guess that's the only option." Cerulean looked to the ceiling. _Gods above… Please help my friends and I. Please help us find Hireashi._

Amaterasu soon returned to the Flashing Prince with an answer. _My child, you'll find the dark god a few meters down that corridor._

_You mean where it's super dark?_ Cerulean stared in the specified direction. _But we can't see anything down there!_

_Not without the one who has my personal blessing, that is._

"If you say so." Cerulean turned to Scarlet. "Yumoto, Amaterasu says you should light up that end of the corridor with the Lumiere Staff. You _can _strike from that far, yes?"

"Are you kidding me?" Scarlet snorted, aiming the Lumiere Staff at that end of the corridor. "Watch me."

With that, Scarlet proved to everyone that he was not merely all bark and no bite. The light spell he released was stronger than any other, as it radiated brightly on its swift path to the dark end of the corridor. In response, everyone heard a daunting voice shout, "Argh! That hurt a little."

"That…" Cerulean ran to the source of that voice. "That must be…"

"How dare you try to hurt me in such a fashion!" Hireashi exclaimed as the troupe stopped just short of him. "That's how you face the almighty god Hireashi?"

"So… We're up against quite a great power." Aurite pondered the god, who by this point had grown so large as to occupy a good 60 square meters. Knowing that few options were available to them, Aurite imbued the Aurum Blade with a good deal of energy, manifested in a golden aura surrounding the sword. "Yumoto, you've got to put an end to this. Take all the power I have."

"B-But…" Scarlet showed hesitance. "Isn't that a ton of power to give me? You could die!"

"Scarlet, it's the only way to restore peace to the universe. You've got no choice."

"No!" Scarlet knelt, embracing Aurite and refusing to let go. "I won't do it! Not after you've promised to repay me for that 'mitten of gauze' thing…"

"My, my…" Perlite took note of Scarlet's unexpected dedication to Aurite. "I can't help but wonder how Hakone-kun feels about Kinshiro-sempai."

"Well, Hakone-kun has a point." Zundar came out of hiding as he approached Cerulean. "Aurite, as mighty as you are, you are not strong enough to defeat the dark god. The Battle Lover Cerulean is the only one who can."

"Oh, yeah? What do I need to do?" Cerulean asked.

"The legends on my planet say that to defeat the dark god Hireashi, the apostle of Suijin must summon the power of all the gods and become his ultimate form. It's a truly immense power that only you can handle."

"Yeah, something that 'only I can handle.' You're talking to the laziest student in all of Binan High here."

"Cerulean, I'm serious." Zundar stopped just short of scolding the Flashing Prince. "Do it, unless you want to see the entire universe blown to smithereens."

"Sure, sure… I better get to it, then." Cerulean ran his hand through his hair and began to chant in an ancient form of Japanese. "Dear gods… I want nothing more than to save this universe from utter destruction, not only for the sake of all living things… not only for the sake of my friends… but also for my beloved Atsushi. In my boyfriend's good name, I swear I will use your power in the name of good. So please… Please, lend me all of your strength."

At the end of this incantation, a flurry of colourful lights shot across the room, none harming anyone. They all imbued into Cerulean, enveloping him in a great veil of light and water, to reveal a beautiful final form.

Cerulean's hair had turned platinum blonde, his eyes shimmering gold. He now bore six wings, giving him even more of a regal air. Now fully transformed, he aimed the Aqua Blade at Hireashi and prepared to do battle. "Hireashi, dark god…" Cerulean began in a voice quite unlike his normal one, "Hear my name and tremble. I am Even More Better Battle Lover Cerulean, apostle of Suijin, and the true oracle of the gods. Prepare to meet your end."

"Ooh, I'm shaking," Hireashi taunted. "Come at me anyway, though, if you like. It will keep me entertained."

Before Cerulean could motion to accept Hireashi's challenge, the Flashing Prince felt an airy sensation on his lips. The air around him suddenly began to smell like chocolate _manju_… with a little bit of curry. For a while, Cerulean disregarded all surroundings and focused on these sweet, pleasant sensations. "Atsushi, you really _are_ watching over me, aren't you? Your presence… it will give me strength. Don't worry, my love, I'll put an end to the dark god and restore the peace we loved so much."

Cerulean needed no further motivation as with all strength, he lunged at Hireashi, who despite his large size could move rather well. "Hmph! Not bad, for a puny mortal. You'll need a lot more than that to so much as lay a scratch on me. Come, I dare you!"

"You're inviting me to show you what I've got?" Cerulean smirked, launching a barrage of shock waves at Hireashi. "Then I'll gladly oblige!"

"Why, thank you for your willingness to entertain me!" Hireashi dodged each of the shock waves just fine, and answered with some shock waves of his own. "How caring of you!"

_Damn…_ Cerulean continued his assault on Hireashi, and despite how strong a fighter he proved to be, the two remained at a stalemate for quite some time. _This guy's got to have a weak point…_

It didn't help Cerulean, either, that Hireashi was not the only one who wanted to kill the Flashing Prince. A great deal of spirit monsters, most notably wind ones, began to sneak up on Cerulean. Sulfur and Vesta both noticed as the Roaring Prince cried, "Your Eminence! Behind you!"

Cerulean failed to detect the incoming wind monsters attacking him, but to his fortune, Sulfur did. Disregarding his vulnerability to wind, Sulfur struck the ground hard with the Gaia Axe, creating a great eruption of rocks that destroyed the wind monsters. With a vast flame from the Ignit Arrow, Vesta dispelled the remaining monsters that had almost succeeded in their attack on Cerulean.

In thanks, Cerulean turned his head slightly, still taking care to parry Hireashi's attacks. "Thanks a bunch, Io and Ryuu."

"Any time!"

"The spirit monsters are starting to become a really big problem…" Gora remarked. "Well, since we can't attack Hireashi and do jack-diddly-squat on him, we ought to protect the apostle so he can concentrate on defeating the dark god."

"Good call." Argent nodded in agreement as with a swing of the Argentum Lance he destroyed a slew of spirit monsters before they could so much as approach Cerulean.

"There are tons of them, though…" Perlite sounded worried. "We're going to need to fight just as hard as His Eminence is."

"En-chan-sempai looks like he's having a really, really hard time, though…" Scarlet noted with worry as with each passing minute, Cerulean seemed all the more weary. "He looks exhausted."

"I'm worried, too…" Wombat cut in. "Even as the apostle, His Eminence can only last so long in this fight. If he takes too long, it's likely that the incredibly powerful might of the gods will overtake him."

Meanwhile, Cerulean was truly as drained as his allies feared. He endured multiple wounds on his wings, and his hair stuck to his sweaty face. "Damn it… Am I not worthy to save the universe?"

"Like hell you are!" Hireashi cackled. "Take this, why don't you!"

"Eh…" Cerulean unfortunately didn't notice Hireashi's large fin coming down on him, and before he could parry the attack, he found himself prone on the ground and in pain. "Urgh!"

"Yes! Tremble in fear of my power," Hireashi declared as he generated an orb of dark energy. "Now, I will put an end to you and any hopes humanity has against me. I would give you the chance for last words, but what an incredible waste of time that would be!"

_Ah…_ Cerulean stared at the one he truly believed would end his life. _How many times have I been in this position? Except that now, there's truly no one to save me, seeing as how I'm apparently the only one who can defeat Hireashi… Atsushi, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't- What?_

Before Cerulean could resign himself to his demise, an unexpected ally jumped in front of him, completely warding off the dark orb and deflecting it to a nearby wall. "Leave Apostle Cerulean alone, you scum."

"What…" Hireashi was apparently just as surprised as Cerulean was at this intrusion, if not more. "How did you awaken without the power of the gods?"

"Like hell I'm telling you." This ally stooped down to offer Cerulean a hand. "You need help getting up?"

"Why, thank you!" Cerulean grinned as he accepted the hand and got back on his feet. Upon studying the face of his rescuer, he immediately recognized that face… and shocked to learn of how powerful his saviour had become.


	35. Afesi Amartion

Chapter 35 – Afesi Amartion

"You look… familiar…" Cerulean attempted to make out the face of the one who saved him. It was rather hard to do that, however, as the saviour had a mask, white clothes, and wings that completely concealed his identity. Maybe he really _didn't_ recognize that face after all. "Have I seen you somewhere before?"

"Hmm…" The masked man turned around, using a voice that also seemed familiar to Cerulean. "I don't think so. At any rate, I'm just glad that you're all right."

"Oh, cut the small talk!" Hireashi grew impatient at the idle mood about the chamber. "You got in my way, so therefore, you must die!"

"Apostle Cerulean, you must run for cover," the masked man advised, aiming his bizarre-looking weapon at Hireashi. "I'll take on this scum on my own."

"W-Wait! There's still so much I need to-"

"Yaaah!" The masked man, without giving Cerulean another word, began an assault on Hireashi with little regard for his own safety.

"Do you honestly think you can defeat me?" Hireashi smirked as he readily accepted this stranger's challenge. "If the high-and-mighty Apostle Cerulean can't, then neither can you!"

"I bet I can," the masked man scoffed. "After all, all I'm facing is an oversized, annoying pufferfish, whose greatest talent is probably lazing around in a fishbowl all day."

"You'll pay for that!" Hireashi retorted, swinging his fins about in an attempt to hit the masked man, but to the dark god's chagrin his attacks did no good.

Meanwhile, Cerulean greatly admired the fighting style of this masked man, as it was quite unlike anything he had seen before. He almost wanted to join in, but… could he really trust a complete stranger?

Aurite certainly could, because not long after Cerulean contemplated helping the masked man, the Chevalier spoke, "Apostle, with all due respect, I cannot let this new ally of ours just take on the dark god on his own. I shall help him."

"But Kinshiro… Do you _really_ think you can do it? Even I had a hard time!"

"I most certainly can," Aurite declared as he regenerated the golden aura from before. "Because I have faith this time that the gods can bring us a victory today."

With this proclamation, Aurite let the golden aura enshroud him, making him more gorgeous than he already was. Interested to see what could possibly be trying to stop him, Hireashi diverted his attention from the masked man to witness Aurite's transformation. "Hah! You think you can defeat me with oh so pretty sparkles? If you think that good looks can be enough to win a battle, then you've got-"

Hireashi could say no more, because after Aurite's transformation had completed, the Chevalier shot a shock wave of gold in the dark god's direction. Even the masked man felt the need to express his admiration in this sudden show of power. "Wow… I'm, uh… quite impressed, Chevalier Aurite."

"So…" Perlite, who with his other allies had taken a temporary break from slaying spirit monsters, turned his attention to his general. "I'm not the most beautiful person in the world after all. Someone has managed to match my beauty."

"Kinshiro…" Cerulean admired the new form the student council president had taken and the beauty he exuded. Aurite was now clad in pure white, with wings to match. Even the Aurum Blade had become the same colour, and it radiated in a pale light that surrounded Aurite, giving him an angel-like appearance.

"What is the meaning of this?" Hireashi, slightly daunted by the new Chevalier, tried to conceal his fear in a hoity-toity voice. "You false apostle! How dare you think to challenge me, when you know how powerless you are!"

"Fool, I am not powerless." To prove his point, Aurite spread his wings and cast a crater in the nearby wall with the Aurum Blade. "I am More Better Chevalier Aurite, and I will ensure that your evil ways will today be put to an end."

"You're all talk and no bite, I'm sure…" Hireashi taunted as he readied a slew of attacks. "Little do you know that it is _you _who will be put to an end. I'm going to beat you good, you hear?"

"Hah!" Aurite smirked as he joined the masked man in battle. "Do your worst."

As Aurite proceeded to further showcase his new battle prowess, Cerulean couldn't help but contemplate how the Chevalier managed to summon that much power in the first place, or why. Didn't he know that only the true apostle of Suijin could stand a chance against Hireashi? …And for that matter, why did a mysterious masked man try his hand at such a daunting task? _Worst of all, why am I still standing here? Why do I wait while my comrades do all the fighting for me?_

Cerulean wasn't sure what to make of the fact that neither Aurite nor the masked man seemed to mind that he distanced himself from the Hireashi battle. The two men seemed to fend of the dark god just fine.

"You move… quite well," Hireashi spoke of the masked man's fighting style. "But it's not enough to defeat me!"

"Oh, I bet it is!" Aurite replied. "Two great minds think alike, you know. A stupid pufferfish is no match for the two of us."

"You have a penchant for insults, my friend." The masked man gave a hearty laugh. "And great bladework, for that matter."

"Likewise." Aurite winked at the masked man as he aimed for Hireashi's lower fins with an Aurum Arrow, eliciting a minor grunt of pain from the giant fish. "My archery skills are quite awesome, too. I'll have you know that I've won a few youth championships when I was a child."

"What a fine, fine man you are to have so many talents. I'm sure you've a brilliant mind, too."

_I never knew Kinshiro could be so… laid-back,_ Cerulean thought of how Aurite seemed to suddenly bond with the masked man. _I always thought that he was the type to shut just about everyone off… I guess I was wrong. Maybe deep down, he's a really kind and friendly guy._

"Not brilliant enough, apparently." Hireashi didn't like how the two men could have such a lax attitude around him, as if fighting him were effortless. "Not brilliant enough to hold me off for long."

"What are you going to do?" Aurite apparently let the jovial mood inspire a bit of arrogance. "Knock me off my feet with your fins?"

"Precisely!" Hireashi took advantage of this sudden haughtiness, which to his fortune had caused Aurite to temporarily drop his guard – and allow him to get knocked to the ground in an awkward face plant.

"Ack!" Aurite had a hard time regaining his footing, as the headache he suffered from the face plant diminished his focus.

"Aurite!" The masked man wanted to save Aurite, he really did, but… distance was not on his side. There was no way that he would get to Aurite in time…

But there was someone who _could_ – someone who would stand by his comrade without a second thought, someone who blocked an incoming, powerful fin strike from coming down on Aurite.

"What is the meaning of this? You, protecting a false apostle – the one who killed your boyfriend, and a complete traitor to his own comrades? Are you insane?"

"Quite the opposite, actually," Cerulean replied with sincerity. "If you attack Kinshiro, you attack me. He's too precious a friend for me to just let you harm him so readily. And unlike you, I can have sympathy for those who are in anguish. Kinshiro has endured more emotional pain than you can ever understand… For you to speak so ill of him, even after all that… I pity you for having such a dark heart."

Aurite would have let the genuineness of Cerulean's words move him to tears with their emotion, had the masked man not suddenly taken advantage of Hireashi being distracted, seizing the humongous fish with his magic and suspending him in the air.

"What do you think you're doing?" All of a sudden, Hireashi's notorious might seemed as nothing, as he was completely ensnared in a veil of peculiar magic.

"Aurite! Apostle Cerulean!" The masked man addressed the comrades as he struggled to keep Hireashi contained. "The two of you must put an end to Hireashi, now! Combine your powers!"

"Combine… our powers?" Aurite at first thought that this notion sounded a bit ridiculous, but after witnessing how dearly Cerulean wanted to protect him… jointly defeating Hireashi with the guy didn't seem like such a bad idea after all. With the Aurum Blade in his hands, he proposed, "Okay. Your Eminence, if it's not too much trouble… Would you please give me your hands?"

"All right." Cerulean returned the warm smile Aurite gave to him as he acquiesced to the request. In doing so, the two imbued each other with a vigorous energy that manifested itself in their weapons, now fused into one mighty and gorgeous blade. Having confidence in his dear friend, Cerulean gripped the sword firmly and spoke, "Kinshiro… Let's do this."

In response, Aurite nodded as he held his hands over Cerulean's, with the intent to impale Hireashi with their sword. And impale the dark god they did, eliciting an agonized cry of demise. As Hireashi began to fade in the atmosphere, the ground began to violently shake, stirring a storm of powerful winds throughout the headquarters that nearly blew everyone off their feet.

"Ugh…" Aurite, who wasn't exactly known for keeping his balance very well, struggled to hold on, that was until Cerulean gave him another look of reassurance.

"Kinshiro… Be strong. It will be over soon."

Aurite needed only that look to endure what would be a rather long defeat of the dark god. But that defeat was well worth it, because after Hireashi had truly disappeared, the surrounding land had been turned to normal, and once again everyone could relish in the peace they once knew. For once in a very long while, war did not plague the city, and the air truly felt refreshing to breathe. Feeling a bit tired, but not overly exhausted, Kinshiro and En spoke in chorus, "Love is… over."

"It… truly is, " Yumoto noted as in the course of Hireashi's defeat, everyone had reverted to normal form. "I'm just sorry that I couldn't do more to help you guys."

"Don't worry your pretty head about it!" Kinshiro smiled at Yumoto and gave him a pat of the back. "Now, about me repaying you for that 'mitten of gauze' thing…"

"But you already have – you've saved everyone, Kusatsu-sempai. You were really brave and looked totally cool while doing it, too."

In response to this charming compliment, Kinshiro blushed. "I'm not the only one you should thank… If anyone, you should thank the masked man."

"Speaking of that guy…" En spotted his saviour, who now wore rather ordinary clothes, easily, "he's still wearing his mask. You think that in all this mess, it would have at least flown off of his face."

"It's stuck on pretty well," the masked man replied. "It would only come off if I took it off."

"By the way," En began as everyone began to walk somewhere – they really didn't know or care where, they just wanted to enjoy their newly renewed peace. "Who are you, where did you come from, and why did you decide to help us?"

"I'm not telling you that. Why do you think I have this mask on?"

"Okay, okay, if you insist." En let the matter slide. For some odd reason, he had only just remembered something very important that he forgot… and that was his boyfriend, Atsushi. "Craaaap! In all of this mess, I somehow lost Atsushi's body!"

"You did?" Io asked, rather worried that in the cyclone Hireashi's defeat generated, Atsushi's body could have been blown off to gods know where. "You don't even have any idea where he could have gone off to?"

"No!" In a bit of a panic, En asked the masked man. "Hey, dude, if you can help me again, did you see a body with dark blue hair and glasses on his face? His name's Atsushi, and he's my boyfriend."

"I'm sorry to say that I haven't," replied the masked man. "I wish I did, though… Forgive me for being unable to help you."

"Oh, well…" En frowned, regretful that he was foolish enough to lose his own boyfriend. "At least now, his soul truly is at peace, and I have fulfilled my vow to him… Even if I do not have his body, I have that vow."

"If… you say so." For whatever reason, the masked man appeared slightly embarrassed.

"If you happen to see him, though, could you call me, and tell the police?"

"I will, friend." The masked man nodded with a smile as he proceeded for a particular path, quite aware of where he now wanted to be. "Now, if you'll excuse me, there are people who we need to go see."

"Besides our family members? Who are you talking about?"

"Your friends and loved ones at Binan High who are all worried sick about you guys."


	36. Greatest Consolation

Chapter 36 – Greatest Consolation

Notes: Forgive the fact that this is a very, very long chapter. But due to the overall nature of it, and due to the fact that I've split enough chapters as it is, I just couldn't split this one.

* * *

"What do you mean, go back to Binan High?" Ryuu spoke, almost in a wail. "There's nothing but brambles and rubble there!"

"I don't know if you noticed," the masked man began, "but the land is now restored to peace."

"He's right, Ryuu," En added. "Right now… people await us at Binan High, and they are all very eager to learn of our safety."

"So, even after Hireashi's defeat, you can still hear the voices of the gods," the masked man observed. "Interesting. And to think, I thought that you'd resent that ability of yours, since they'd awaken you from naps all the time."

"I guess that's true," En paused for a laugh, "but they've helped me save everyone, and that's what matters most."

"And now you can take naps and eat onsen _manju_ to your heart's content."

"How did you know I like _manju_ so much?" En eyed the masked man with a bit of suspicion. "There aren't many people who know about my love of _manju_, after all."

"I…" The masked man twiddled his thumbs. "I'm not sure, exactly. Just a hunch, I guess, since you smell so strongly of it."

"You're really weird, you know that?" Ryuu laughed, now quite unsure what to make of the masked man. "I mean, what kind of guy is so cognizant as to pay that close attention to how people smell?"

"Yes, I'm weird, and I'm proud of it," the masked man spoke with no shame.

"Okay, you're starting to scare me a bit, dude…" En temporarily stopped walking, spurring his allies to do the same. "You have _got_ to be someone I know. Why the heck are you so reclusive? We're a loose, friendly group. You can tell us anything – we don't bite."

"I don't know…" The masked man felt thankful that nobody could see him blush, thanks to his mask. "I'm a bit shy, I guess."

En took good note of how uncomfortable the masked man was in discussing all of this, and decided to drop the subject. "Well, you cared about us enough to come to our aid when we really needed it, and that's what we care about most. We're very grateful to you."

"You're welcome…" The masked man, still a bit shy, grinned. "I know more people that would be grateful, and we better hurry to them before they worry about us further."

* * *

"All right, all right…" The principal of Binan High attempted to calm the rather large, rambunctious crowd. Lately, very concerned parents had been worried about the eight Binan High students who suddenly went missing. When the principal had started to receive complaints from parents who weren't even parents to those eight students, he knew he had a serious problem that he had to address to all families in the school – which resulted in the huge parent-teacher conference currently taking place in Binan High's auditorium. After all, Binan High's reputation couldn't be ruined by something so terrible. "Settle down, everyone."

"Easy for _you_ to say!" Keroessa tried to hold back a hiss, but couldn't. "You wouldn't be so calm if one of your kids suddenly went missing, I'm sure. While you're just standing there completely carefree, my baby Io is just… I…"

"Mrs. Naruko has a point," Hiroshi noted. "Can you imagine what would happen if the media caught wind of what happened? It would create quite the scandal, don't you think?"

"I know, I know… Forgive me. I will look into their disappearances with every effort."

"I hope so." Mr. Hakone eyed the principal with doubt. "As if it weren't bad enough that Gora also somehow went missing… I worry for Yumoto. That boy couldn't last a day on his own. And, furthermore-"

Before Mr. Hakone could rant any further, some buttmunch poked his shoulder from behind. In annoyance, he turned around. "Ugh, what?"

He soon wished that he hadn't groaned in irritation, because the one who poked him was someone he knew – and someone he loved dearly. "Hi, Dad!"

"Oh…" Mrs. Hakone took note of her son's presence, giving Yumoto a hug as soon as she saw him. "Yumoto… Oh, Yumoto!"

"You're all safe!" Mrs. Zaou recognized Ryuu straight away, as did his brothers and father. "When did you guys get back, and where have you been all this time? You weren't playing hooky or spending the night at some girl's house, were you?"

"No, Mom," Ryuu reassured. "I'm a bad boy, but not _that_ bad. It's a bit complicated… Let's just say we were saving the world from bad guys."

"Saving the…" Mrs. Zaou paused for a bit, wondering what that possibly could entail. But she soon decided that she didn't really care – she was just beyond ecstatic and relieved to know that her second-born son was safe. "Well, you're back. Just… If you're going to be away for so long, tell us next time and have regular contact with us, okay?"

"Sure, sure…"

"Hey, Onii-san?" Artemisia looked up from the hug she gave Io as he held her.

"What is it, Artemisia?"

"Where's Atsushi-san? Isn't he one of your friends?"

"Ah…" Io couldn't explain to his 4-year-old sister what really happened with Atsushi – she couldn't really understand, anyway. But he couldn't think of a tactful thing to say. "Kinugawa-sempai is… um…"

"I would love to know that too," Mrs. Kinugawa addressed En directly, believing that he of all people should know about her son's whereabouts. "Where _is_ Atsushi, and why isn't he here?"

"I…" En trembled as he felt shameful tears come to his eyes. He couldn't even say a word, because whatever he said, he knew it would displease the Kinugawa family greatly.

"No…" From En's reaction – or lack thereof – Mrs. Kinugawa knew what truly befell her son. "No, Atsushi! Atsushi… Atsushi is… gone… Oh, gods, why…"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kinugawa…" En spoke through a fit of tears. "I really _did_ fail to protect your son this time – even though I promised to you that I would bring him back safe and sound. I was even graceless enough to lose his body. If you want to beat the living hell out of me right now, go ahead – I deserve it completely."

"En-kun, it isn't you fault!" Mrs. Kinugawa showed no enmity in her tone of voice. "I know you love him as dearly as we do, and you are as sorrowful over his death as we are. Do you honestly expect me to hate someone who shares my pain?"

"Forgive me…" En continued to cry in Mrs. Kinugawa's shoulder as they consoled one another.

"And besides… Your relationship with Atsushi was – and is – a truly beautiful thing. So beautiful, in fact, that you've inspired me and my ex-husband to remarry each other. We've decided that we don't care about what our relatives think or about our financial spat or anything. You've shown us that even in the face of adversity, true love cannot die."

"Oh…" En almost wish that Mrs. Kinugawa didn't tell him that, because now, he turned into a crying mess that must have looked absolutely pathetic. But at the same time, he felt happy knowing that his and Atsushi's love could inspire someone to fight through such a hardship. "I'm… so happy for you guys…"

At this moment, Kinshiro decided that he couldn't handle the emotional display anymore. It made him feel all the more shameful for what he had done, and without a second thought, he ran for the exit with Akoya and Ibushi following him.

"Wait, Kinshiro!" Mrs. Kusatsu attempted to stop her son. "Where are you going?"

"Honey, let him be," Mr. Kusatsu intervened. "You forget that Atsushi-kun was a very, very dear friend of Kinshiro's. I'm sure he's taking his death quite seriously."

"I agree," spoke the masked man, who until now didn't say a word to anyone's families. With very strong sympathy towards Mrs. Kinugawa, he spoke, "Ma'am, I'm very sorry for your son's death."

"Who the heck are _you?_" Mrs. Kinugawa didn't like this stranger's intrusion into such a delicate moment. "Where did you come from?"

"Peace, peace." En reassured. "I know that this guy seems like a stranger, but he helped us in great need. I can honestly tell you that he is a friend – you can trust him."

It was just then that the principal overheard the conversation, and couldn't help but make his own sentiments known. "So, Kinugawa Atsushi has been killed… May I ask how?"

"He was murdered, gods know who did it." En refused to elaborate, hoping that the principal would not pry any further.

Sensing that En didn't want to discuss the circumstances around his boyfriend's untimely death, and sensing that it hardly mattered anyway, the principal simply spoke, "What a loss… May I offer you all my deepest condolences. Is there anything that I can do for you guys?"

"There is. May we offer our son some eulogies?" Mr. Kinugawa requested.

"Yes, sir." The principal gestured towards the auditorium stage. "You may. Feel free to take as long as you like."

"Thank you so much," Mr. Kinugawa spoke with a bow as he encouraged his fiancée, daughter, and son-in-law to follow him. The crowd, who showed no signs of wanting to leave, listen to the grieving father's words with empathy. "As all of you may know, my son, Kinugawa Atsushi, was the salutatorian of this great Binan High School, and the vice president of the Gay-Straight Alliance. But more importantly than that, he was a son, a brother… and a dear friend to many of you. I sincerely regret to inform this crowd that he is now dead, his life taken by reasons and a culprit unknown."

"Oh, gods…" Callista cupped her mouth with her hands in utter shock. "Atsushi-san…"

"But even though he is gone, I want everyone who hasn't gotten a chance to know my son what a great person he really was. Yes, he was shy, and yes, he devoted much of his life to academia. But above all, he cared so much about the plights of others that if you asked him, be you stranger or friend, he would without hesitation lend you a hand. I'm sure… that if he were alive today, he would go on to become a great man that would do so much for the world."

"Yes, he truly was a great man," Noriko spoke as she requested the microphone from her father. "He was so great that he made me realize the error of my ways. I used to be a really bad homophobe that would refuse to even associate with LGBT people. When I found out that Atsushi, my own brother, was gay, I couldn't believe it. I wanted to disown him… that was, until his boyfriend made me see differently, until he made me see that LGBT people are human beings just like everyone else. I've come to learn that my brother's relationship with his boyfriend was no different than that I had with my husband."

"Oh…" En felt another crying fit about to hit him as Noriko lauded him.

"Besides…" Noriko caressed her belly. "I wouldn't want my children to endure the pains that I visited upon Atsushi. I promise that I will love my children unconditionally, whether they tell me they're gay, straight, atheist, totally eccentric, or whatever. Because that's what the bonds of family mean."

"Dear… dear gods…" En couldn't help but cry yet again, and depended on his fellow Chikyuubouei-bu members to comfort him.

"Mother, Hiroshi, is there anything you'd like to say?" Noriko asked.

"No, you kind of took the words right out of my mouth, dear." Hiroshi stared at his wife, speechless that her brother's relationship with En could have changed her so much.

"I agree…" Mrs. Kinugawa cried at her daughter's touching words. "I… There's nothing that I can say that could be as wonderful as that…"

"Okay." Noriko turned to the principal. "In that case, sir, we're done. You can adjourn the parent-teacher conference now."

"All right, everyone…" Even the principal, a fully grown and rather old man, cried from the Kinugawa family's eulogies to Atsushi. "Let's all go home now, before we _all_ become crying messes."

But before anyone could really make a motion to leave, the masked man suddenly made a request to the principal. "Good sir, can I have a few words? With the permission of the Kinugawa family, of course."

"Yes…" Mrs. Kinugawa, after hearing En speak of the masked man, no longer felt wary around him. "You may."

"Thank you very much, ma'am." The masked man bowed before making his way to the stage and taking the microphone. As he did, many in the crowd question this rather… eccentric-looking man and where in blazes he could have come from.

"It's like this guy thinks we're at a masquerade party," a student whispered to his friend. "What a weird dude."

"But if the Kinugawa family gave him permission to speak, then he's got to be a good guy," replied the friend. "He probably has something good to say, too."

"Everyone…" the masked man began somewhat shyly. "I know you're probably wondering who the heck this weird dude in the mask that just waltzed onto the stage is. I'll get to that in a minute. But first, if I may offer some kind words to Kinugawa Atsushi… Indeed, he was a kind individual as everyone said, but he was also very strong. He could survive just about anything that came at him, no matter how grueling it proved to be. It would take just about all the beatings in the world to bring him down."

"Where the hell are you getting at?" cried a student from the back of the auditorium, suspicious of what the masked man spoke of.

"I am telling you that Atsushi is not dead."

"Wh-What?!" Mrs. Kinugawa couldn't believe this. She really wanted to believe the masked man, but… "What are you saying? If he's not dead, then where is he? Can you tell us?"

"He's in this very room, among us. His presence is in this auditorium, and I don't mean metaphorically." The masked man gave En a tender look, one that certainly grabbed the normally lazy student's attention. "And right now, he's staring at the most beautiful, captivating man in the world, Yufuin En. My listless, can't-be-bothered En-chan that is my entire world."

At this declaration, En's eyes opened wide in anticipation, and even moreso as the masked man finally began to remove his mask. _It… It can't be… Is the masked man really…_

En needn't had thought any further, for when the masked man removed the mask, that face he knew answered his every question. Under that mask was the face of none other than his beloved Atsushi, alive and well, and giving the radiant smile he adored so much.

"You…" Mrs. Kinugawa walked back on the stage, in disbelief that her son could somehow cheat death. "Are you really… Atsushi?"

"Yes, Mother." Atsushi nodded, allowing his mother to touch his face to confirm his presence.

"Atsu.. shi… Oh, my son!" Mrs. Kinugawa didn't even care how Atsushi came back from the dead – he was there, he was real, and he shocked everyone… especially En.

While all his friends and classmates and family members swarmed Atsushi, giving him congratulations, En couldn't bring himself to approach his boyfriend. He only stood there, wondering if the gods were giving him a mirage to look at. _I mean, Atsushi was impaled with a sword, for crying out loud! He can't… I mean, the masked man can't _really_ be him… could he?_

Then, as if to tease En a little bit, Atsushi pulled his phone from his pocket and began typing on it. A few seconds afterwards, En received a text message on his own phone, which read, "This crowd is a little bit too large. Why don't we meet somewhere a bit more… private and romantic?"

En stared at this text for a while before looking up at Atsushi for any hint of reaction. All he got was a little wink… and a suddenly fast boyfriend that bolted out of the auditorium without warning. "Wait!"

Nobody else in the room dared to follow Atsushi or En – it was bad form to interrupt something important between two lovers, after all. En wasn't exactly thankful that he never had the time or energy to endurance train, but whatever it took to catch this mirage, he would be willing to put forth the effort. _Where the heck is he taking me, anyway? Is he trying to make a maze out of this area? Or… could he be leading me to…_

En didn't bother to try to answer his own question, as a vast garden of white chrysanthemums and red roses welcomed him to Minasama no Ai Park. These gorgeous flowers told him that Atsushi had something important – and very real – to tell him. And the bespectacled teen certainly did, for in the sea of these flowers Atsushi moved with the grace that En remembered so well, giving him the touch to his face that erased any notions that the gods were playing tricks on his mind. "Atsushi… You're… You're here. I… but how? I thought you were killed."

"If you must know, then I shall tell you." Atsushi took a deep breath. "But prepare yourself for a rather long tale."

"Okay. I'm listening."

"Very well."

* * *

_A lost spirit floated in space, with naught to wear but his own skin. He felt that he had been floating there forever, but really, he had only died a handful of hours ago. "Ugh, where the heck am I? Last I remember, I was…"_

_Just then, the spirit's contemplations were interrupted by a bright light and a bunch of playful voices. Outrageously large carrots jutted from the ground, and the most peculiar creatures roamed about, running errands as eccentric as their appearances. In particular, bunnies dressed in black jumpsuits and anthropomorphic birds caught his attention. They freaked him out quite a bit… so when they suddenly approached him and began to talk to him, he was rather shocked, to say the least. "Ooh, you look like a fun person to be around!" exclaimed a black-clad bunny. "You look rather different from us, though, but that's okay! You're a great person, I can tell."_

"_You're the odd one, I think…" The spirit still tried to gauge what was going on. "Where the heck am I, anyway?"_

"_You're in the Kingdom of Love, of course!" replied an anthropomorphic bird, who bore slight resemblance to an eagle. "Here, there is never war or hate – only peace and love."_

"_Right…"_

"_Hey, I know! Why don't we take you to our leader?" the eagle-like creature proposed. "I'm sure he'll be glad to meet you."_

_The spirit didn't even have time to react as the eagle-like creature grabbed his arm and dragged him to gods know where. Heck, he felt lucky that he had the time to say, "Wait, can't you at least explain a little bit more?"_

"_Our leader will do that for us. Besides, we always introduce newcomers to our leader."_

_The spirit almost wished that this weren't so, because the leader exemplified everything_ but_ love. What was so charming or loving about a creepy golden creature with devil horns?" Uh… Hey, there."_

"_My child, there's no need to fear me," the leader spoke with a voice that belied his daunting appearance. "I am a lot kinder than I look. Anyway, I've heard of what you did. You know, you sacrificing yourself for the man you love?"_

"_Yes… How did you know about that?"_

"_Because I am the one who sent the pink marsupial to observe you, one of the five heirs to the throne of love. The underworld officials and I decided that your sacrifice was the greatest possible way to show love… That easily makes you the one, true heir to the throne of love – the king."_

"_How… quaint. So, is there anything special that I have to do?"_

"_No. But being the true heir, you do have certain powers now."_

"_Such as?"_

"_You'll see," answered the leader as he gestured for his subject to cast magic on the spirit, sending him into a deep sleep. "Pleasant dreams."_

* * *

"That's quite… um…" En couldn't really tell what he though of Atsushi's rather interesting way of coming back from the dead, "neat, I guess. So, a bunch of cute creatures from the Kingdom of Love that Wombat spoke about for a while revived you, because you're the true heir to the throne of love. Do I have that right?"

"That's right."

"Ugh, that's a bit too bizarre for my liking." En drew Atsushi into an embrace. "But they've brought my precious At-chan back to me. And when thanks are due, they're due."

"En-chan, what did you just call me?"

"Oh… Heh, heh…" En snickered. "I guess that the gods made me do it. Silly me."

"Speaking of the gods, why can you still hear their voices? I would imagine that your powers as the oracle would have faded, now that we're in peacetime."

"I don't know, but I don't mind it too much anymore, except that they can nag me while I'm trying to take a nap. But they entertain me quite a bit, and even tell me when there's sales on _manju_ going on."

"Hah." Atsushi giggled, obviously amused at the fact that the gods could have playful natures sometimes.

"But I do know this." En temporarily released his grip on his boyfriend to sincerely look him in the eye. "The greatest gift the gods have ever given me was not the gift of prophecy or the gift to save the world from a dark god. It was not the welcoming environment or precious memories I've treasured at Binan High. It was to be soulmates with such a mesmerizing man that completes me, fills me with joy, and dissipates all my sorrow."

"En-chan…" Atsushi could already feel En's breath on his lips and the sweet scent of the lazy student, accentuated by the red roses and white chrysanthemums. "The short time I spent away from you truly felt like an eternity. The mere notion of being away from you, and possibly never seeing you again, tore my heart asunder… But when I heard that I could be with you again... Just being here, with my cherished En-chan, in the very park in which we made our love known to one another… You have no idea how overjoyed that makes me. I love you, En-chan. I love you so, so much."

En didn't need to say those same words. He let the kiss, the passionate and tender kiss, express his words for him. Atsushi really felt that his wish of staying here in this wondrous place forever, with En's heartbeat and warmth to keep him company, would come true at last. Nothing would ever interrupted this moment he shared with En, whom he cherished more than anything else…

Except perhaps maybe for a few misfits that "gracefully" tumbled out of a bush decorated by daisies and yellow roses.

"Uh… guys?" Atsushi readily recognized these misfits as none other than Yumoto, Io, and Ryuu.

"Dangnabbit, Yumoto!" Ryuu lightly slapped Yumoto on the cheek. "You shouldn't have been squirming around so much! What a buttmunch you are, ugh."

"It's your fault for cutting the worst-smelling SBD ever." Yumoto waved his hand in front of his face. "And it still smells!"

"I don't know why you've decided to interrupt our privacy with your completely juvenile jokes, but why did you guys follow us?" En asked.

"Because Kinugawa-sempai is our friend, too!" Ryuu exclaimed, not appreciative of how En derided him a bit. Showing a bit more kindness, he now turned his attention to Atsushi. "Kinugawa-sempai, I don't know if I ever told you this, but… I'm sorry. I really am."

"Whatever for?"

"If it weren't for me…" Ryuu began to cry. "If it weren't for my damned Ignit Arrows, you and Yufuin-sempai wouldn't have been torn apart so much. I nearly killed you guys, and… I just want you to know how very sorry I am for causing the two of you so much trouble."

"Hey, hey!" Atsushi almost felt helpless as Ryuu collapsed in front of him whilst profusely apologizing. But he knew that consoling the pink-haired teen could make him feel better – and much to Atsushi's joy, it did. "Ryuu, you were only doing what you thought was best. I bear no enmity towards you, friend."

"Thank you for that, thank you so much… I… I just wanted to protect Io. I thought that you were going to kill him when Kusatsu-sempai made you a bad guy."

From Ryuu's words, Io suddenly got the notion to tell Atsushi something that he was quite sure the bespectacled teen didn't know yet. "I'm not sure if you know this, but Ryuu and I are boyfriends."

To Io's surprise (or rather not, not after that amusing toothbrush incident near Danran Beach), Atsushi squealed as if he were a yaoi fangirl. "Aww! That's so cute! I always knew that Ryuu had a thing for you. I'm happy for the both of you."

"Likewise." Ryuu stood up, with Io's hand in his own. "You and Yufuin-sempai are a cute couple, you really are."

"Aren't they? There's no cuter couple out there." Yumoto agreed with glee, but soon let his guard back up after receiving a playful glare from Ryuu. "Er… besides you guys, I guess…?"

"Why you little…" Ryuu caught Yumoto before the half-German teen could escape from what would be a fun tickle fight. The five friends spent a great deal of time frolicking about like children, not really caring who would soon approach them… not even if said people approaching them happened to be the three members of the student council.

"Kinshiro…" Ibushi attempted to quell his friend, who since storming out of the auditorium had not stopped crying. "There, there. It's going to be all right. Kinugawa is with the gods now, and I'm sure they're treating him just right."

"I know that, but… I had just witnessed At-chan's family grieving over him. It wasn't just me or Apostle En that I impacted – I caused a whole family to go into anguish."

"Um, Kinshiro-sempai…" Akoya stopped walking, apparently noticing the tickle fight going on between the five members of Chikyuubouei-bu.

"I don't know how I can ever make amends with them." Kinshiro temporarily ignored Akoya. "But they've a right to know who took their son from them."

"Kinshiro-sempai." Akoya finally had enough of Kinshiro's ignorance, and seized the student council president by the shoulders and turned him around. "Look. A friend waiting to see you."

Kinshiro almost didn't want to believe the sight before him. He thought that he was merely dreaming, and that if he pinched himself right now, the glorious sight of a very lively Atsushi would fade. But not even a hard pinch awoke him… and then Kinshiro knew, that one of his best friends breathed still. "At-chan…?"

"Oh!" Atsushi notice Kinshiro nearby, and beckoned for him to come over. "Hi, Kin-chan!"

With no hesitation whatsoever, Kinshiro accepted the request to come over, with Ibushi and Akoya following suit. "So… So you're alive."

"And better than ever!" Atsushi grinned, holding up a fist to display his vitality.

"Your Eminence, with your permission, can I… touch him?" Kinshiro asked En, who only nodded in reply. There was no mistaking it… that soft, warm cheek of Atsushi's, and those gorgeous copper eyes… they were as real as the air Kinshiro breathed. "At-chan… No, I won't ask. I'm not going to ask how you recovered from the death blow that I delivered unto you, and that even now I still regret. You're alive again… I… I can't believe it. I'm so sorry for not realizing how wrong I was to try to win your heart no avail. It is a sin that I will carry with me for the remainder of my days."

"You don't have to be so sorry! You're a great friend, and I won't let anything change that."

"At-chan…" Kinshiro knelt in catharsis, letting Atsushi's welcoming hands soothe him as the bespectacled teen sang to him. "At-chan, I… Oh, dear gods help me…"

"There." Atsushi helped Kinshiro back on his feet. "Feeling better?"

"Yes. Yes, I am." Kinshiro wiped the last of his tears before addressing En. "Forgive me for everything. I suppose my greatest consolation – my _kalyteros parigoria –_ is that my longtime friend has the boyfriend that he truly deserves. You really are going to make him happy. For that, I thank you, En-chan."

"I beg your pardon?" En eyed the blushing Kinshiro, loving how discomposed the student council president appeared.

"I… I mean, Your Eminence!" Kinshiro attempted to correct the adorable mistake he had made. "Apostle En, I'm… sorry."

"Like I said many times, you don't need to be so formal with me, _Kin-chan._"

"B-But…"

"Don't worry, Kin-chan, we're all friends here!" Atsushi huddled the three of them together for a group hug. "Come on, loosen up a little!"

"In that case…" Kinshiro felt his heart alight, because for the first time, he could open himself up, and release the tension he felt from that perceived betrayal he knew so long ago. "I'm glad we're friends now, En-chan."

"Ah, what wonderful friends you all are." En gave the two other teens noogies.

"Yes, yes, wonderful friends indeed…" Yumoto didn't like how the attention seemed to focus on the three friends. "So wonderful, in fact, that you all forgot that my big brother owns a bath that we can all relax in."

"He does?" Kinshiro had never been to a public bath. Well, maybe he had, if that one bath by Danran Beach counted.

"Yeah, and you're all invited to join me, if you like! You guys, too, Arima-sempai and Gero-sempai." Yumoto already began his path to Kurotama. "Come on!"

"Yes, what are we waiting for!" Ryuu, pulling Io by the hand, soon followed. "Come on!"

"Oh, you guys…" It didn't take much longer for En and Atsushi to follow suit. And Kinshiro really wanted to, also, that was until he felt a poke on his shoulder from behind.

"Wha- Yumoto! How did you get back here so fast?"

"I'm quick on my feet, that's all." Yumoto gave his crush a warm smile. "Anyway, I'm glad you're doing better. You seem a lot happier than usual, I've noticed."

Sensing that something interesting was about to take place, Ibushi grabbed his boyfriend and proceeded to secret away behind the bush of daisies and yellow roses. "Akoya, let's leave these two alone."

"What? But why?" Akoya questioned, but Ibushi would have none of that ignorance. He hid the both of them behind that bush and continued to watch the exchanges between Kinshiro and Yumoto.

"I'm sorry about Kinugawa-sempai, by the way. I know you really loved him lots."

"Yeah, well, nothing I can do about that now, except move on."

Yumoto adored that cute face that Kinshiro made, and couldn't help but give him a surprise kiss on the cheek, which to his amusement elicited a blush. "Ah… What was that for?"

"It's a good luck kiss! I know you'll find a great guy, because you're very handsome and smart."

"You… think so?" Kinshiro felt quite happy now, because this was the first time that he was ever praised in such a fashion.

"Yeah, I just hope that… you know…" Yumoto hesitated, and Kinshiro was not sure why, "that it's me."

"What?" Kinshiro grinned, quite amused by Yumoto's coy expressions. "What are you saying?"

At this point, Yumoto finally had courage to do something that he never thought he'd be able to do. With his heart racing, he finally told Kinshiro, "I'm saying… that I really like you, Kin-chan-sempai. Ah… Oh, crud, did I just call you that?!"

"Yes, you did." Kinshiro soon realized the reality of the rest of the words Yumoto spoke, and his tone began to stutter. "So, this is a love confession?"

"Yeah… Yeah, I suppose it is." Yumoto blushed even moreso than the man he loved, and in embarrassment he turned away, with the intent to make way for Kurotama Bath. "Well, if you still want to come to Kurotama Bath, just knock on the door. I'll let you in straight away, no charge. I better get going! I'm sure At-chan-sempai and En-chan-sempai are all waiting for us – everyone must be."

And with that Yumoto took off with the speed he was known for. For a time, Kinshiro just stared at that kid, running like the buffoon he was… like the rather _adorable_ buffoon that he was. It took Ibushi and Akoya coming out of the bush, clapping, to awaken him from his thoughts.

"Oh!" Kinshiro jumped at this sudden noise. "You guys… You weren't listening to all of that, were you?"

"You bet we were." Akoya winked. "Every word."

"How charming," Ibushi remarked. "It's obvious that Hakone is in love with you, Kinshiro. In case you couldn't tell, he thinks the world of you."

"So… So, I see…" Just before the trio reached the door to Kurotama, Kinshiro continued, "Someone loves me. I never thought that anyone could have romantic feelings for a guy like me. I suppose that the 'mitten of gauze' incident, the way he protected me from the spirit monsters, and his refusal to do something he thought would kill me… They were implicative messages, and I didn't even realize it until now."

"Why not try a cute guy like Hakone?" Ibushi suggested as the three made way for Kurotama. "He may seem like an idiot on the surface, but he's really sweet and caring. He'd make you a very happy man, I'm sure of it."

"Oh, hush." Akoya wanted to scold his boyfriend for praising the beauty of another man, but really, he too had to admit that Yumoto was as charming as Ibushi claimed.

"I'll… I'll think about it," Kinshiro answered as he knocked on the door. Not surprisingly, Yumoto was the one to answer.

"Ah, Kin-chan-sempai, welcome!" Yumoto ushered in the student council. "Gora-chan, these guys are our friends."

"Yes, I know that now!" Gora called from outside, where he chopped wood. "But this is the only time I'm going to let them in for free."

"Sure, sure…" Yumoto opened the curtain, just as his friends were about to take a group picture. "Guys, wait! Let's let the student council take a picture with us."

"Is it really okay?" Kinshiro asked. "I mean, we kind of just- Whoa, is that… Tawarayama-sensei? Goodness, he looks more lively than ever."

"Yup!" Yumoto, too, noticed the teacher, who now could move about with complete freedom, without Wombat's help. "Now Gero-sempai doesn't have to reel in the stink coming from Tawarayama-sensei's body."

"Ugh, don't call me that…" Akoya truly resented his surname and the connotations it could bring. "Anyway, you said you were going to take a group picture?"

"Yeah, hurry up and get in with us, before the timer on the camera runs out!"

With that, the student council members joined their friends in the picture, and just in the nick of time. Much to Yumoto's joy, the picture turned out as lovely as he had hoped it would. "Yay! Now we've got this memory to cherish forever. I'll send you guys pictures over the Internet later."

As the student council members undressed and entered the bath, and everyone enjoyed the fraternity they shared in the bath, Kinshiro thought to himself, _Damn… He really _is_ cute. Maybe talking to him won't be so hard after all._ Scooting closer to Yumoto, he spoke up, "So… Nice bath. You guys must work really hard to make it this great."

"You've got mostly Gora-chan to thank for all that. He's the one chopping wood all day."

"But you can't deny your efforts, either. You help customers feel quite welcome here, and to me, that's quite important."

"Aw, thanks."

Kinshiro wasn't quite one for mingling with others, as if that aspect of him weren't bad enough. To make matters even more awkward for him, Io and Ryuu tickled each other in a rather more-than-just friends manner, while En and Atsushi caressed each other as they shared chocolate _manju_. He wasn't quite sure if he wanted to take this plunge, but… he wanted to try. "Do you like movies? If you like, I can take you to one. There's a great rom-com coming out next week that I'd love to see, but I'm always there alone."

"Movies? I love them! Especially rom-coms, and a bonus if they have lots of cute animals."

"You like animals? As for me… they're cute, all right."

"Of course they are!" Yumoto gave Kinshiro a sudden, strong side hug with both arms.

Atsushi couldn't help but feel amused at the intimacy Kinshiro shared with Yumoto. "Aw, look at them, En-chan. Aren't they adorable?"

"If you say so." En paid the pair little heed, he just wanted to cuddle with Atsushi whilst stuffing his face with chocolate _manju._

"But how can you not feel happy for them? Kinshiro's finally opening himself up to others. Who knew that the one who could get him to do it is the Binan High dunderhead and buttmunch, Hakone Yumoto?"

"Oh, by the way, Kin-chan." En used the name so casually, and Kinshiro did not mind at all. "I'd thought I'd like to tell you that all of Binan High now knows about the same-sex relationship that exist in Chikyuubouei-bu."

"Would I know it…" Ryuu muttered. "I feel lucky that my parents and Io's parents were so accepting of out relationship. I thought for sure that my parents would lose their shit, learning that two of their sons were LGBT."

"This world's changing for the better, thanks to the works of the Gay-Straight Alliance." Io kissed Ryuu's head, and wanted to tickle him too, but decided that they had enough tickling to last them for centuries. "And you're part of that effort, Mr. Sergeant-At-Arms."

"And you're boyfriends too, aren't you, Akoya-sempai and Ibushi-sempai?" Yumoto noticed that, like the other couples, Akoya and Ibushi interacted with each other far more intimately than mere friends would dare to. "In that case, you should join the GSA with us. We're really fun!"

"Okay, I'll take you up on that," replied Akoya. "Since you stopped calling me by that dreadful name."

"Goodness, this is just a huge bastion of yaoi, isn't it?" Atsushi chuckled. "I never thought we would have made it this far. I never thought that, thanks to the Gay-Straight Alliance, we could have people come out so comfortably, and truly change the minds of people I thought to be homophobic. We fought hard, we fought long, but this cute and close-knit group has done so much for the good of humanity. To think that I, someone who was at first too shy to confess to the man I loved, could come this far and change so many lives… I guess you can call that my _kalyteros parigoria_."

"Yeah, but it's not mine." En remarked. "There's something that's an even better consolation to me, something that's made me feel like the happiest man in the world."

"Oh, really? And what might that be?"

"It's having you, a direct blessing of the gods, by my side forever, and knowing that you'll never leave me again."

* * *

_Kalyteros Parigoria – The Greatest Consolation_

_Fin_

* * *

A huge, huge thank you to everyone who has read this fanfic that can easily rival Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" and Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace" in length! Once again, I apologize for how long this chapter is.

If I haven't made it clear already, this fanfic is just one huge crossover of my biggest fandoms, especially Binan Koukou and Fire Emblem. I'm sure a lot of you who are fans of both probably recognized that a lot of direct quotes from Radiant Dawn appear in this fic. I've also made parallels between characters (e.g. Kinshiro, Ibushi, and Akoya were made to be like Sanaki, Tanith, and Sigrun; Yumoto's healing powers were made to be like Micaiah's Sacrifice, etc.).

But I've also snuck in hints to my other fandoms. For instance, the Kingdom of Love? That was an implication of the world of Magicant from EarthBound. There are also the songs, which are many, but I'll tell you what they are through PM if you wish.

And for those of you wondering when I'll update "The Breath of Dawn," my relatively short KinshiMoto fanfic, I'll be working on that more often from now on, now that "Kalyteros Parigoria" is finished.

I would love to give special thanks to the users AkiraNatsume, Skittles Pie, and Firevein. They're pretty much my co-authors. They've given me a slew of great ideas, and for that, I am extremely thankful. *gives each of these users big hugs* Heck, I want to give all of you who have read so much as a word of my fanfics big hugs! *gives the rest of you big hugs*

Again, thank you so much for reading, guys! Please leave critiques/comments if you can! And feel free to message me any time if you want me to read your pieces and help you with fanfics. I'm willing to assist when I can. :)


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